Team | THeLab

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THeLab Members:

Ryan Hernandez, Associate Professor Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences

Ryan Hernandez, PhD
he/him/his
Principal Investigator (2010-...)
Professor, Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences
Co-director: PROPEL and PREP postbaccalaureate programs
Co-director: BMI PhD program
Co-lead: ARCHES faculty development
ryan.hernandez (at) ucsf.edu
[ORCID] [Google Scholar] [Bluesky] [LinkedIn]

How do evolutionary forces shape genetic variation and the architecture of complex traits?
I grew up in San Leandro, CA (go SL PIrates!), studied Math at Pitzer College, earned a PhD in Biometry at Cornell University, and trained as a postdoc at the University of Chicago before starting as a PI in 2010.

In THeLab: I like to work with scholars to develop new scientific questions to understand how demography and natural selection shape human genetic variation and their impact on molecular and complex traits.

Outside THeLab: Amateur baker, being a dad, mentor, and building platforms to support & encourage the next generation of scientific leaders

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Marisol Contreras, future PhD
she/her
PhD Student (2025-...)
Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics
marisol.contreras (at) ucsf.edu

Can the Lung Microbiome and HLA Predict Asthma and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Severity?
Fueled by curiosity and grit, Marisol is a first-generation college graduate of UC Davis, where she earned a B.S. in Genetics and Genomics with a minor in Public Health Sciences. Before returning to graduate school, she spent two years as a rotational scientist at Genentech, collecting lab stories, building scientific skills, and gaining a deep appreciation for how science rarely goes as planned but often leads somewhere meaningful. She went on to complete her M.S. in Biology with a concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology at San Francisco State University.
In THeLab: Programming statistical and bioinformatic analyses
Outside THeLab: Tutoring and mentoring kids with hands-on science experiments, enthusiastic supporter of both learning and lattes and enjoys movies. Alongside her academic journey, she has remained committed for over 10 years to volunteering in classrooms and with nonprofits that support children’s education.

Beyond THeLab:

THeLab is a launching point for developing independent scientific thinkers. Members go on to pursue diverse paths across academia, industry, and beyond.

Want to Join Us?