Current Lab Members

he/him/his
Twitter: @LabMears
[email protected]

Jason A. Mears, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Jason Mears is a Professor of Pharmacology in the School of Medicine at Case Western Reserved University (CWRU). The over-arching goal of his lab is to resolve long-standing questions about key factors that alter mitochondrial dynamics, leading to organelle dysfunction in human pathologies.
 
Dr. Mears has a diverse scientific background that combines structural, biochemical and cellular methods to characterize functional relationships in macromolecular complexes. He started his research pursuits as an undergraduate student at Indiana University. He then moved to Birmingham, AL and studied ribosome structures with Dr. Stephen Harvey at UAB. He mentored McNair Scholars and received the McKibben Young Investigator Award before completing the last 2 years of his Ph.D. training at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA. In 2005, Dr. Mears moved to the NIH in Bethesda, MD, where he learned cryo-EM and structural biology methods with Dr. Jenny Hinshaw and initiated research on dynamin superfamily proteins. He was awarded the NIDDK Nancy Nossal Fellowship Award to pursue his research interests. 
 
In 2010, Jason started his research lab in the Center for Mitochondrial Diseases and the Department of Pharmacology. His research has largely focused on the underlying mechanism of mitochondrial fission and how this process is regulated in human health. The current research environment is optimally suited to address these problems through regular interactions with mitochondrial, structural and cancer biologists. Dr. Mears was named the Co-Director of the Center for Mitochondrial Research and Therapeutics (CMRT) in 2024 and directs the Mitochondrial Research Core in the School of Medicine.
 
In addition to his research program, Dr. Mears has been recognized with several mentoring awards and is active in medical education. He currently serves as the Graduate Program Director for Pharmacology and the Associate Director of Cancer Research Training and Education (CRTEC) in the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

Outside of the lab, Jason enjoys hiking, cycling, culinary pursuits and spending time with his family. 
she/her/hers
​[email protected]

Anelise Hutson
Graduate Student

Anelise received her B.S. in Chemistry with minors in Chinese and International Studies from the University of Alabama in 2021. She worked as a lab tech in the Neuroscience Dept. before joining the Pharmacology PhD program. In her spare time, she choreographs and performs with the Cleveland Dance Project, and she is a member of the Cleveland Metroparks Clean Team. 

Research Focus: Regulatiopn of Drp1 structure and function
  • Supported by the MTTP Training Grant; 2023-2024 
  • Vice-President, Biomedical Graduate Student Organization (BGSO); 2024-2025​
  • Greenfield Travel Award for Best Journal Club Presentation, Pharmacology; 2024
  • Vice-President, Biomedical Graduate Student Organization (BGSO); 2024-2025
  • CCMSB Symposium Organizing Committee; 2025
she/her/hers
​[email protected]

Anna Dudziak
​Graduate Student 

Anna received her B.A. in Biochemistry from Ursuline College, where she played NCAA DII Women's Soccer and was the team captain her senior year. She did summer research at CWRU with Dr. Danny Manor, studying the Rho nucleotide exchange factor. 

Research Focus: The role of mitochondrial fission proteins on bioenergetic activities. 
he/him/his
[email protected]

Isaiah Waiters
ACS Post-bac Scholar 

Isaiah received his B.S. in Nutritional Science with minors in Biology and Chemistry from Howard University in Washington, DC. He is from Cleveland originally and is interested in pursuing a graduate degree in science after his post-bac experience in the Mears lab. 

Research Focus: The role of patient mutations in Drp1 structure and function 

​she/her/hers
[email protected]

Mengtian Wang
​Graduate Student

Mengtian received her B.S. in Biological Sciences from Henan Agricultural University in Zhengzhou, China. She then attended Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, IL and earned her M.S. in Biological Sciences. She then worked in clinical research before returning to academia to pursue a M.S. degree in the Pharmaceutical Science Program at CWRU. 

​she/her/hers

Talia Morgenstern
​​Summer Undergraduate Student

Talia Morgenstern is a senior biology major and chemistry minor at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. In 2024, Talia was awarded a prestigious Summer Research Fellowship through Westminster’s Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research. Under the mentorship of Dr. Joshua Corrette-Bennett, she investigated the effects of Neuropeptide Y on Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation and presented her findings at the 2025 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).

​she/her/hers

Julia Moroz
​Undergraduate Student

Julia Moroz is on the women’s soccer team at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, Ohio. A native of Brecksville, she graduated from Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School in 2024. She is working with the Mears lab this summer to gain research experience. 

​they/them/theirs

TBD
​Summer High School Student 

Coming soon

Lab Alumni

Research Staff

​Maria Stoll - Mitochondrial Detective (2017-2024)
Currently: Retired

Adina Brett-Morris, Ph.D. - Research Associate (2018-2023)
Currently: Health Scientist, Cleveland Clinic, Akron, OH

Louie Zhou - Research Technician (2010-2013)
Latest: Anesthesiologist, Arkansas
Postdoctoral Fellows

​Frances JD Alvarez, Ph.D. (2011-2014)
Currently: Research Scientist, Pfizer, Inc.

​Kyle Whiddon, Ph.D. (​2018-2022)
Currently: Core Staff Scientist, Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology

​Jeff MacCausland, Ph.D. (​2018-2023)
Currently: Senior Scientist, Levine Lab at CWRU
Graduate Students

Christopher A. Francy, Ph.D. (2012-2016)
Currently: Vice President/Scientific Director, AdMed Inc., Philadelphia, PA
  • Supported by the MTTP Training Grant; 2012-2014
  • Greenfield Travel Award, Pharmacology; 2013  
  • ​Pharmacology GSO President; 2013-2014  
  • The President’s Award, Biomedical Graduate Student Symposium; 2015
  • Doctoral Excellence Award in Pharmacology; 2016​

Ryan W. Clinton, Ph.D. (2014-2018)
Currently: Senior Scientist, Translate Bio, Boston, MA
  • Charles L. Hoppel Trainee Award for Research Excellence in Mitochondrial Biology; 2017

Elizabeth O. Akinbiyi, Ph.D. (2018-2021)
Currently: AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow, Science Communications/Policy in the Office of the BRAIN Director at the NIH
  • Supported by the Immunology Training Program (ITP)
  • MAC Travel Grant to attend ASCB|EMBO Meeting; 2019

Brianna Bauer, Ph.D. (2017-2023)
Currently: On the market
  • Awarded the Paul Berg and Harland Wood Distinguished Graduate Fellowship; 2017
  • Supported by the MTTP Training Grant; 2018-2020
  • Awarded the Charles L. Hoppel Trainee Award for Research Excellence in Mitochondrial Biology; 2021
  • Pharmacology GSO President; 2021-22

Kristy Rochon, Ph.D. (2017-2023)
Currently: Post-doctoral Fellow in the Metskas Lab at Purdue University
  • Paul Berg and Harland Wood Distinguished Graduate Fellowship; 2017
  • NIH Diversity Supplement
  • Greenfield Travel Award, Pharmacology; 2019
  • NRSA Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (F31) to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research, NIGMS; 2020​
  • Travel Award for the 67th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting; 2023
  • ​Doctoral Excellence Award in Pharmacology; 2024    

Yuli Buckley, Ph.D. (2020-2025)
Currently: Fielding Postdoctoral offers
  • Supported by the MTTP Training Grant; 2020-2022
  • Greenfield Travel Award, Pharmacology; 2021 
  • Pharmacology GSO President; 2022-23   
  • Internship at Cytokinetics, Inc.
Post-baccalaureate Trainees

Cheyanne Shinn (2018-2019)
PREP Scholar
PREP Scholar of the Year; 2019
​Currently: PhD student, Univ of California San Diego, San Diego, CA

Anibal Tornes-Blanco​ (2019-2020)
PREP Scholar of the Year; 2020    
​Currently: PhD student, Univ of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Paige Wilson (2019-2020)
Post-bac Research Assistant
Currently: Medical Student, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), Monroe, LA

Jasmine Liu (2020-2022)
PREP Scholar
​Currently: PhD student, Univ of California, Berkeley, CA

Dayanlee de León Cordero (2023-2024)
PREP Scholar
​Currently: PhD student, Case Western Reserve Univ, Cleveland, OH
Undergraduate Students

Amanda Labuza - SURP Program (2011)
After: 2020 PhD in Neuroscience, U Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
Latest: Post-doctoral fellow at Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY

Myles Frazier - SURP Program (2012)
After: 2019 PharmD graduate from Mercer Coll. of Pharmacy, Atlanta, GA

Evan Miller - SURP Program (2013)
After: 2019 MD Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of CWRU
Latest: Resident, Orthopedic Surgery, Wake Forest, Winston-Salem, NC

Taylor Enrico - SURP Program (2016)
After: 2022 PhD in Pharmacology from UNC-Chapel Hill, NC
Latest: Consultant, Boston Consulting Group, Boston, MA

Serena Lee - SURP Program (2017)
After: 2019 graduate from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA

Abigail Turnwald - SURP Program (2018)
After: 2022 MS in Genetic Counseling, UC-Anschutz
Latest: Pediatric Genetic Counselor, Dayton Children’s Hospital, Dayton, OH​

Reid Anderson - Volunteer (2019)
After: 2022 graduate from Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
Latest: Medical Student, CWRU SOM          
​
Nate Roethler - SURP Program (2022)
After: 2023 graduate from Loras College, Dubuque, IA
Latest: Graduate Student, UC-San Diego, San Diego, CA  

Vanessa Chu - Volunteer (2021-24)
After: 2024 graduate from CWRU, Cleveland, OH
Latest: Dental Student, Univ of California, Los Angeles         
​
Siya Iyer - Volunteer (2023-24)
Latest: Undergraduate Student, CWRU, Cleveland, OH
  
Marianita Castro - Volunteer (2023-24)
After: 2024 graduate from CWRU, Cleveland, OH
Latest: Graduate Student, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH    

Julia Strasburg - SURP Program (2024)
Latest: Undergrad Student, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH    
High School Students

Colleen Murphy - Volunteer (2013)
After HS: Undergrad student, Beloit College, Beloit, WI

Bobby Arnold - Volunteer (2015)
After HS: Undergrad student, John Carroll University

Tasneema Sheik - SEO/YES programs (2023-24)    
Poster Award Winner (2023)
​Latest: HS student, Cleveland School of Science and Medicine at John Hay

Brielle Collins - Volunteer (2023-24)
Latest: HS student, Hawken Upper School
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