John Labella

I am a graduate student currently investigating regulatory RNAs in bacteria, focusing on processive antitermination mechanisms for secondary metabolite and biofilm operons as well as some RNA structural biology.

I did my undergraduate studies at Northeastern University, where I obtained a B.S. in Biology with dual minors in Philosophy and Ethics and was fortunate enough to do two co-ops and spend a semester abroad in Australia. Post undergrad, I spent five years as a researcher in the biotechnology industry working to develop genetic medicines. I’ve since come back to academia to earn my Ph.D., aiming to grow as a scientist and contribute more to current research.

My scientific interests primarily lie in synthetic biology, both in designing novel genetic tools and subsequently applying them to solve a multitude of problems. Nothing is more fascinating to me than seeing how small alterations in the genetic code can affect substantial changes in an organism.