Welcome to the Rhoades lab!
University of Pennsylvania
Department of Chemistry
We are interested in understanding the underlying principles that govern the functions of intrinsically disordered proteins and why these proteins are so frequently associated with disease. To do this, we use single-molecule fluorescence and other biophysical techniques to study protein conformations and dynamics, protein-protein interactions, and protein-membrane interactions.
Currently, the proteins of interest to our group include tau and α-synuclein.
Single molecule fluorescence – applied to protein molecules that are either diffusing freely through solution (using confocal microscopy) or those localized to a surface (using total internal reflection microscopy) – is an elegant and powerful approach to studying biological molecules and processes.
Lab News
2026
- January 2026 – Sarah has been appointed to the Chemical Biology Interface Training Grant, congratulations!
- January 2026 – Rito has been selected as a Next Generation Lurie Autism Institute Fellow for the 2026 cohort in the Penn-CHOP Lurie Autism Institute. Congratulations!
2025
- December 2025 – Bernard went to Pacifichem in Honolulu, HI and presented a poster!
- December 2025 – Paola, Ibrahim, and Liz go to B&B/BBCB Retreat at Skytop Lodge in the Poconos! Liz gave a talk and Paola and Ibrahim presented posters.
- December 2025 – Taylor, Sarah, and Polina went to the PMI Winter Symposium! Polina presented a poster.
- August 2025 – The Rhoades Lab had its annual retreat! Day of Science was at Swarthmore College and for Day of Fun we went Peach Picking at Linvilla Orchards.
- August 2025 – Bernard was awarded the Hochstrasser fellowship, congrats!
- August 2025 – Ibrahim won an award for excellence in chemistry graduate research, congrats!
- July 2025 – Paola was appointed to the Structural Biology Training Grant, congrats!
- July 2025 – Ibrahim is one of the new Graduate Affairs Committee Representatives!
- July 2025 – Emily was invited to attend Science@Scale Symposium at GSK. Congratulations!
- June 2025 – Taylor and Olivia helped organize CBI Summer Symposium at Haverford!
- May 2025 – Taylor was appointed to a second year on the Chemical Biology Interface Training Grant!
- May 2025 – Paola was elected to serve as Professional Development Chair on SACNAS Executive Board!
- May 2025 – Chris gave a talk for the Institute of Structural Biology!
- May 2025 – Bernard elected to serve as Deputy Director of International Student Affairs in GAPSA!
- May 2025 – Sarah wins an award for Exceptional Teaching!
- May 2025 – Bernard wins award for RA Mentoring!
- May 2025 – Ibrahim and Bernard passed their candidacy exams!
- May 2025 – Lab alum Melissa gave a talk at the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research!
- April 2025 – Paola passed her candidacy exam!
- April 2025 – BBCB graduate students Lucinda Harden and Matt Schnell join us for a rotation. Welcome!
- March 2025 – Ibrahim, Bernard, Taylor, and Emily present at The Sylvan M. Cohen Annual Retreat and Poster Session. Emily won best basic science poster!
- March 2025 – Chris is appointed Associate Technical Director of Mass Spectrometry at PSOM. Congratulations Chris!
- February 2025 – Nima gave a talk at the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research!
- February 2025 – Emily, Taylor, Polina, Chris, and Liz go to BPS in Los Angeles, CA. Emily, Taylor, and Polina presented posters, Chris gave a talk, and Taylor got a travel award!
- January 2025 – BBCB graduate students Elise Miedlar and Lydia Tarakegn join us for a rotation. Welcome!
- January 2025 – Karen’s first author paper is published in Structure!
- January 2025 – Chemistry graduate students Yujing Fan and Sarah Schick (joint w/Petersson lab) join the lab. Welcome!