DBBS mentors and educators are key to our training mission. Those who serve as primary mentors are DBBS Program Members, and others who participate in the educational mission are General Members. Learn about DBBS Faculty Membership »
To provide a supportive learning environment for our trainees, many DBBS-affiliated faculty have completed eight or more hours of CIMER-based mentorship training with a trained facilitator, as indicated below with a profile badge.

Find faculty of interest by entering a name, program or expertise keyword in the search bar; selecting a PhD program from the drop-down menu; or selecting the last name initial from the A-Z filter.
Martha Bagnall, PhD
Assistant Professor
- Email: bagnall@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Research summary
Microcircuitry of sensory-motor transformations in the zebrafish
Key words
Dustin Baldridge, MD,PhD
Assistant Professor
- Email: dbaldri@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Biomedical Informatics and Data Science
Research summary
Utilizing the power of genetics to elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of disease and transform patient care
Key words
Genetics, genomics, transcription factors, rare disease
Megan Baldridge, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
- Email: mbaldridge@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Immunology
Computational and Systems Biology
Research summary
Defining the mechanisms behind and effects of the interactions between commensal bacteria, pathogens and innate immunity
Key words
microbiota, infection, pathogen, microbiome, virus, interferon, immunity
Dennis Barbour, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
- Email: dbarbour@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Biomedical Informatics and Data Science
Research summary
Sensation, perception and cognitive processing of sounds and speech
Key words
perception and cognition, behavioral assessment, medical informatics, computational audiology, machine learning, clinical decision support
Deanna Barch, PhD
Professor and Chair
- Email: dbarch@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Research summary
Neurobiological and Psychological Mechanisms of Cognitive and Emotional Control: Normative Function and Abnormalities in Psychiatric Disorders
Key words
cognition, neuroimaging, prefrontal cortex, psychiatry, schizophrenia, depression
David Bark, PhD
Associate Professor
- Email: bark@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Molecular Cell Biology
Research summary
Applying biomechanics and mechanobiology (the interaction and response of cells and tissue to mechanical forces) to diagnose, study, and treat various forms of cardiovascular disease.
Key words
Wayne Barnes, PhD
Associate Professor
- Email: barneswm@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Plant and Microbial Biosciences
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Research summary
Possible cure for MS: intravenous access by myelin-binding aptamer; PCR at one temp; RT-enabled Taq pol.
Key words
DNA, aptamers, technology development, brain therapy
Rebecca Bart, PhD
Associate Faculty Member
- Email: rbart@danforthcenter.org
Program affiliation
Plant and Microbial Biosciences
Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis
Research summary
Combining genetics with molecular and computational biology to learn about the mechanisms used by hosts and pathogens to recognize and respond to one another and the environment
Key words
Randall Bateman, MD
Charles F and Joanne Knight Distinguished Professor
- Email: batemanr@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Biomedical Informatics and Data Science
Research summary
Alzheimer disease pathophysiology
Key words
amyloid, apolipoprotein E, Alzheimer’s disease, drug treatment, mass spectrometry, protein production and clearance
Luis Batista, PhD
Associate Professor
- Email: lbatista@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Cancer Biology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Research summary
Understanding the role of DNA damage and RNA degradation during tissue homeostasis, regeneration, aging, and cancer
Key words
DNA damage; DNA repair; Telomerase; Stem cell biology; Cancer; Aging
Ivan Baxter, PhD
Member
- Email: ibaxter@danforthcenter.org
Program affiliation
Plant and Microbial Biosciences
Computational and Systems Biology
Research summary
We use High-thoughput elemental profiling to understand how plants adapt to their soil environment
Key words
Ionomics, Genetics, Genomics, Gene by Environment Interactions, Plants
Philip Bayly, PhD
Lee Hunter Distinguished Professor and Chair
- Email: pvb@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Research summary
The application of nonlinear dynamics and vibrations to mechanical and biomedical systems
Key words
MR imaging of motion, mechanics of brain injury, impact, vibration, wave motion
Jeffrey Bednarski II, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
- Email: bednarski_j@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Immunology
Molecular Cell Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Research summary
Understanding the signals that direct early B cell development
Key words
Yehuda Ben-Shahar, PhD
Professor
- Email: benshahary@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Evolution Ecology and Population Biology
Biomedical Informatics and Data Science
Research summary
Molecular, cellular, genetic and evolutionary mechanisms of behavior
Key words
Behavioral genetics, Evolutionary neurogenetics, Drosophila, Ion channels, Molecular genetics, Neurobiology, Neuroethology, Sensory systems
Tammie Benzinger, MD, PhD
Professor
- Email: benzingert@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Biomedical Informatics and Data Science
Research summary
Novel neuroimaging approaches to study aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
Key words
MRI, PET, Alzheimer’s disease, aging, imaging biomarkers for clinical trials
Mikhail Berezin, PhD
Associate Professor
- Email: berezinm@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Biomedical Informatics and Data Science
Research summary
Investigation the mechanism of peripheral neuropathies
Key words
biophysics, cancer related peripheral neuropathy, optical imaging and spectroscopy instrumentation
Carmen Bergom, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
- Email: cbergom@wustl.edu
Program affiliation
Cancer Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Molecular Cell Biology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Research summary
Identification of new targets to improve tumor radiation effectiveness and to protect normal tissues such as the heart from radiation injury
Key words