November 6, 2025
Dr. Martin is appointed as the permanent Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Physiology!
Congratulations, the lab is so proud!!
Read the official press release here.
October 31, 2025
Annual 10th Floor Halloween Party!
The Martin lab, Yu lab and Ferrer lab all celebrated Halloween together with other members of the UMMC Greenebaum Cancer Center.
May 29, 2025
Julia Ju defends her dissertation!
Congratulations!
Microtentacle-Mediated Heterotypic Clustering of Tumor Cells and Neutrophils in Breast Cancer Metastasis
May 2025
Maya Robnett – rotation student
Maya’s rotation focuses hydrogen peroxide-driven cytoskeletal remodeling in breast cancer metastasis. Maya is a M.D./Ph.D. student in the MSTP and Molecular Medicine program.
May 19-20, 2025
Happy Birthday Keyata and Michele!
A little lab celebration for both of their birthdays!
May 1, 2025
Makenzy Mull – International Journal of Molecular Sciences publication
Disruption of P2Y2 Signaling Promotes Breast Tumor Cell Dissemination by Reducing ATP-Dependent Calcium Elevation and Actin Localization to Cell Junctions
April 28, 2025
Graduate Research Conference
David and Julia present their work at the Graduate Research Conference (GRC) at UMB!
April 2025
April Fools!
April fools prank on Dr. Martin – Cardboard cut outs of everyone in the lab for Dr. Martin’s new office!
December 2024
Martin Lab Christmas Party
Martin Lab Christmas Party
Hosted by Keyata, matching sweaters by ThermoFisher.
October 17, 2024
Julia Ju – Advanced Science publication
Julia’s paper “Tubulin-based microtentacles aid in heterotypic clustering of neutrophil-differentiated HL-60 cells and breast tumor cells” is published! https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202409260
October 11, 2024
8th Annual UMGCCC Cancer Research Day
Martin lab student, Darin Gilchrist, was selected for an oral presentation to share his research.
September 13, 2024
Celebration for Julia’s Birthday
The lab celebrated Julia’s birthday amongst many other exciting things!
August 21, 2024
Lab Ice Cream + Dog Day
The Martin Lab celebrates a successful summer of undergraduate students and new graduate students with ice cream and dogs!
August 2024
Jessica Cornell and Destiny Omili join the Martin Lab!
Both of our rotation students from spring and summer 2024 have now joined the Martin Lab!
Jessica is a 2nd year Ph.D. student in the Molecular Medicine Program.
Destiny is a 2nd year Ph.D. student in the Molecular Microbiology & Immunology Program.
Summer 2024
Deborah Delgado Herrera, M.S. – rotation student
Deborah’s rotation focused on work with Dr. Vitolo’s research on TTLL11 and tubulin glutamylation. Deborah is in the Molecular Medicine program and part of Dr. Christina Ferrer’s lab.
Summer 2024
Summer Trainees
Cindi White (pictured 1st) is a local Maryland science teacher, and one of the first of the UMB CATALYST program.
Sam Rosemore (pictured 2nd) is an undergraduate student at UM College Park, who is focused in AI technology.
June 9, 2024
Keyata Thompson 15th year with the Martin Lab
Our research specialist and lab manager extraordinaire, Keyata Thompson, was celebrated with a surprise party for her 15th year with the Martin Laboratory.
June 7, 2024
14th annual Cancer Biology Retreat
Martin lab students Julia Ju and Darin Gilchrist present their research. Julia was selected for an oral presentation and Darin won 2nd place in poster presentations.
May 2024
Ph.D. Hooding Ceremony
Dr. Makenzy Mull and Dr Kanwal Hameed receive their Ph.D. hoods from Dr. Martin and Dr. Emadi.
April 2024
Makenzy Mull Defends her Dissertation
Mechanisms of Altered Calcium Signaling via ATP-activated P2Y2 Receptor in Breast Cancer Cells
Spring 2024
Kanwal joins the lab!
Dr. Kanwal Hameed-Mahmood joins the lab as a post-doc for a few months! She completed her Ph.D. in the Molecular Medicine program at UMB with Dr. Ashkan Emadi, primarily focused on blood-cancers.
Halloween 2023
Annual 10th Floor Halloween Party
The Martin lab, Yu lab, Ferrer lab, and Emadi lab all celebrated Halloween together with other members of the UMMC Greenebaum Cancer Center.
The costume theme was “television”
September 20-23, 2023
Advances in Circulating Tumor Cells (ACTC) Conference
Skiathos Island, Greece
Dr. Martin was an invited speaker. Michele, Keyata, Darin, and Julia all presented posters, where Julia won best poster!!!
Our collaborator, Dr. Min Yu’s graduate student, Aidan, also presented her work.
September, 2023
Julia Ju and Darin Gilchrist, Ph.D. Candidates
Julia and Darin both successfully pass their qualifying exams and are admitted into candidacy during the first 2 weeks of September.
A celebratory dinner at Clavel!
Summer 2023
Summer Interns
Viviana and David P. were part of the Nathan Schnaper Intern Program and joined the Vitolo and Martin labs.
April 27, 2023
Megan Stemberger – Cells publication
Hydrogen Peroxide Induces α-Tubulin Detyrosination and Acetylation and Impacts Breast Cancer Metastatic Phenotypes
April 21, 2023
Katarina Chang Ph.D.
Katarina defends her thesis! Her hooding ceremony followed in May with graduation.
January 31, 2023
Katarina Chang – Cancers publication
Elevation of Cytoplasmic Calcium Suppresses Microtentacle Formation and Function in Breast Tumor Cells
January 2023
Happy New Year!
A busy month for the Martin Lab:
- 1/17 – Makenzy successfully defended her thesis proposal
- 1/23 – Megan advanced to candidacy and passed her qualifying exam + proposal
- 1/24 – Katarina had her final thesis committee meeting and is approved to defend
December 2022
Martin Lab Holiday Party – Secret Santa
We were too busy enjoying the holiday spirit to be on our phones taking pictures. Please enjoy the Martin Lab themed cake that Keyata made.
October 2022
Halloween Party
The Martin lab’s annual Halloween party with the whole floor of labs!
Costume theme: superheroes
October 2022
Entrepreneur of the Year Awards
The Martin Lab received an award for our patented TetherChip technology.
September 2022
Julia Ju joins the Molecular Medicine Ph.D. Program
Julia Ju, M.S.E. has been in our lab for the last few years as a research specialist and the glue that holds us together.
August 2022
Mechanisms and Models of Cancer Meeting
Megan and Dr. Martin attended the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Mechanisms and Models of Cancer meeting which brought together eminent cancer biologists and provided Megan with an opportunity to present a poster on some of her early thesis work.
June – August 2022
Nathan Schnaper Summer Intern Program
Kate Goundry was able to rotate in the lab this summer before heading back to the University of Virginia, where she studies Bioengineering.
“Analysis of Apoptosis in Tumorigenic Cells Suspended in a Free-Floating Environment”
June 2022
The Lab enjoying the California weather
San Diego, California
The official S.S. Martin Lab Sailboat
June 2022
The Martin Lab attends a Meeting at the Salk Institute
Salk Post-translational Regulation of Cell Signaling — a belated celebration for the 40th anniversary of the discovery of Tyrosine Kinases
Katarina Chang, Julia Ju, Makenzy Mull, Megan Stemberger, and Keyata Thompson all presented posters.
June 2022
Makenzy Attends a Gordon Research Conference on Calcium Signaling
Ventura, California
Makenzy presented a poster and was able to connect with some of the best calcium biologists.
June 2022
12th Annual Cancer Biology Retreat
Dr. Michele Vitolo is one of the primary coordinators of the meeting. Makenzy Mull and Kanwal Mahmood helped her plan, along with the Molecular Medicine Program Coordinator, Chelsea Rosenberger, and Director, Dr. Toni Antalis.
The Martin Lab had multiple presentations throughout the day! Unfortunately we forgot to photograph ourselves.
June 2022
Darin Gilchrist Joins the Martin Lab
M.D./Ph.D student, Darin Gilchrist rotated and decided to join the Martin Lab!
April 2022
Guinness Brewery
More celebrations of our recent graduates! Trevor Mathais, Ph.D. is going back to medical school for his 3rd year. Rachel Lee, Ph.D. was a post-doctoral fellow with us, and has recently settled into her position at Janelia Research Campus.
We finally have an updated group photo!
April 2022
Clavel Dinner
Celebration for a recent graduate and collaborator, Abanoub Gad Ph.D.! He is now moving to Chicago for a post-doctoral fellowship in industry.
April 2022
Trevor Mathias – Doctoral Defense
Understanding the role of the tubulin carboxypeptidase (TCP) on breast tumor cell growth and dissemination
Congratulations! Back to 3rd year of Medical School to finish his M.D./Ph.D.
April 2022
AACR – New Orleans
David, Makenzy, and Stuart attend AACR in New Orleans. Makenzy and David both presented posters from their thesis work. Everyone was able to enjoy time in the French Quarter with great live music and food.
March 2022
Trevor Mathias – Cancers publication
Tubulin Carboxypeptidase Activity Promotes Focal Gelatin Degradation in Breast Tumor Cells and Induces Apoptosis in Breast Epithelial Cells that is Overcome by Oncogenic Signaling
Winter 2022
Garis Grant – Rotation Student
Garis is working with Keyata and Dr. Michele Vitolo. Her rotation project focused on PARP1 changes in breast cancer, while her interests also led a project based on minorities in breast cancer research.
February 2022
Keyata Thompson – Breast Cancer Research publication
Microtubule disruption reduces metastasis more effectively than primary tumor growth
December 2021
Secret Santa
The Martin Lab holiday party with secret Santa, gingerbread decorating, and food from Ekiben!
June-July 2021
Nathan Schnaper Summer Intern Program
Ally Jerrett, a rising senior, studies Biochemistry at Loyola University.
“Discovery of ROS Induced Tubulin Detyrosination and Acetylation in Breast Epithelial Cells”
June 2021
Megan Stemberger joins the Martin Lab
Biochemistry Ph.D. Student, rising second year.
May 13, 2021
Dr. Rachel Lee – Scientific Reports publication
Distinct roles of tumor associated mutations in collective cell migration
May 6, 2021
Makenzy Mull – Passes Qualifying Exam!
Lab celebration at Barcocina, Baltimore, MD
Feb. 5, 2021
Dr. Lekhana Bhandary – Scientific Reports publication
Lipid tethering of breast tumor cells reduces cell aggregation during mammosphere formation
Nov. 2020
Makenzy Mull – Awarded Integrative Membrane T-32
The Training Program in Integrative Membrane Biology, NIH-T32, run by Drs. Matthew Trueau, Andrea Meredith, and Meg Rizzo.
“Determining Mechanisms of Mechanically-Induced Calcium Signaling in Breast Epithelial Cancer Cells”
Oct. 31, 2020
Halloween prank for Dr. Martin
Oct. 5, 2020
Dr. Steven Pratt – PNAS publication
Mechanoactivation of NOX2-generated ROS elicits persistent TRPM8 Ca2+ signals that are inhibited by oncogenic KRas
September 22, 2020
Dr. Martin is awarded the Drs. Angela and Harry Brodie Professor in Translation Research Endowed Professorship!
What an incredible honor!
Read the official press release here.
And watch the investiture ceremony here.
Aug. 3, 2020
Julia Ju – Lab on a Chip publication
Partial thermal imidization of polyelectrolyte multilayer cell tethering surfaces (TetherChip) enables efficient cell capture and microtentacle fixation for circulating tumor cell analysis
July, 2020
Steven Pratt – Doctoral Defense
Steve defends his thesis and graduates!!!
4th of July Party at Keyata’s
Celebration of Steve’s Defense and Dr. Martin’s 50th Birthday
July 2020
Makenzy Mull joins the Martin Lab
Molecular Medicine Ph.D. student, rising second year.
July 2020
Trevor Mathias – Awarded T-32 in Cancer Biology
The Training Program in Cancer Biology, NIH-T32, run by Drs. Curt Civin and Toni Antalis.
“The role of the tubulin carboxypeptidase (TCP) on breast tumor cell growth and dissemination”
June 12, 2020
Steven Pratt – Cancers publication
The Mechanical Microenvironment in Breast Cancer
Martin Laboratory 