Current Lab Members

Moonhee Park, BS – Research Technician and Lab Manager

Moonhee was born in Hongsung, South Korea and received her degree in Library and Information Science from Soong Eui Women’s College in Seoul. After emigrating to the United States, Moonhee obtained a BS in Chemistry from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She worked as a research technician for ten years at the UNC Department of Dermatology. In 2017, she joined Dr. Horner’s lab at Duke University as a research technician and lab manager. Her first paper was published in 2010 with subsequent papers in 2015 and 2017. Moonhee supports the lab’s never ending need for research material inventories and helping graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. She is interested in generating CRISPR knockout cell lines. Outside the lab, Moonhee enjoys painting, reading, cooking Korean food and gardening. She has seven thriving Orchids and an indoor hydroponic garden. She dreams of killing all mosquitoes with fire.  .

Matthew thompson, phd - postdoctoral fellow

Matthew grew up in Ohio and received his BS in Biotechnology from Kent State University (2013). He then moved to Philadelphia, PA where he completed a PhD in biochemistry and molecular biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania in Kristen Lynch’s lab (2019). Matthew’s doctoral work focused on alternative splicing regulation of both host and viral transcripts during influenza A infection. During his work in the Lynch lab, Matthew became interested in the mechanisms that cause mis-regulation of RNA binding proteins during infection and/or immune response. In Stacy’s lab he is exploring his interest by studying how the proteins that regulate post-transcriptional modification of RNA are functionally altered during infection with viruses from the Flaviviridae family. Outside the lab, Matthew is an avid Cleveland sports fan (including watching the Browns lose every week at local fan clubs) and enjoys playing music and video games.

Hannah schmidt, B.S. - Graduate student (MGM)

Hannah grew up in Florida and received her BS in Bioengineering from the University of Florida. While at UF, Hannah worked in the lab of Dr. Eric McLamore, assisting with the development of electrochemical sensors for detecting mercury in water. After graduating, Hannah spent a year as a post-baccalaureate fellow at the NIDDK in the lab of Dr. Kai Ge, where she worked on characterizing the role of NSD2 in the epigenetic regulation of adipogenesis. Hannah arrived at Duke in 2019 and joined the Horner lab where she is interested in studying how the innate immune response to negative-sense RNA viruses is regulated. Outside of lab, Hannah enjoys hiking, baking, and playing video games.

Vanessa Gutierrez, PhD - Postdoctoral Fellow

Vanessa was born in California and raised in Nicaragua. She obtained her PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology in Cyprian Rossetto’s lab in 2021 at the University of Nevada, Reno. Vanessa’s doctoral work focused on characterizing viral factors involved in KSHV replication. After her PhD she became interested in virus-host interactions and the innate immune response to viral infections. In Stacy’s lab she is interested in studying virus-host interactions of the flavivirdae family and the role of post-translational modifications in innate immunity. Outside of lab Vanessa enjoys hiking, rock hounding, playing video games, and watching movies. 

Caroline Aufgebauer, bs - Graduate student (CMB/MGM)

Caroline was born in Germany and raised in Florida. She received a BS in Biology and minors in Chemistry and Hispanic studies from UNC-Chapel Hill. At UNC, Caroline studied kidney development in Dr. Lori O’Brien’s lab, characterizing the role of the SIX2 Q177R mutation in Wilms’ tumor. After graduating, Caroline took a gap year as a research technician in Dr. Chad Pecot’s lab at UNC, where she collaborated with Dr. Kevin Weeks’ lab to study the secondary structure of circular RNAs. Caroline arrived at Duke in 2021 and joined the Horner lab, where she is interested in studying the role of m6A in regulating viral infection. Outside of lab, Caroline enjoys skiing, hiking, baking, and watching cringe reality TV shows with her dog.

Kate Bland, bs - Graduate student (CMB/MGM)

Kate grew up in West Virginia and received her B.S. in Biology from James Madison University in 2020. While at JMU, Kate worked under Dr. George Vidal studying how autism spectrum disorder genetic risk factors correlate with dysfunctional development of the cerebral cortex. After arriving at Duke University in 2021, Kate joined the Horner lab where she studies the mechanisms involved in the addition of N6-Methyladensine (m6A) to hepatitis C viral RNA by the methyltransferase complex. In her free time Kate enjoys hiking with her dog, visiting local breweries, and binging Netflix shows.

Kristen murphy – Duke Undergraduate

Kristen grew up in Connecticut and arrived at Duke University in the fall of 2019. She is currently pursuing a Biology B.S. with a minor in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics. She joined the Horner Lab in January of 2021 where she is working with Matthew Thompson on how the innate immune response is regulated by RNA binding proteins that recognize modifications on the RNA. In her spare time, she plays for the Duke Club Field Hockey team, volunteers at the Duke Puppy Kindergarten, enjoys hiking, and listens to true crime podcasts.

Grace Sorensen – Duke Undergraduate

Grace grew up in Northern California and started at Duke in the fall of 2020. She is planning on majoring in Biology with a concentration in Cell & Molecular Biology and minoring in Chemistry and German. She joined the Horner Lab in January of 2021 where she is working with Hannah Schmidt on examining the role of post-translational modifications on viral proteins in viral replication. She is also on the Duke club swim team and enjoys hiking, skiing, and photography.

Lauren S. grew up in North Carolina and started at Duke in the fall of 2021. She is planning on majoring in Biology with a concentration in Genetics and minoring in Chemistry. She joined the Horner Lab in May of 2022 where she is working with Vanessa Guitierrez on examining the protein-protein interactions that regulate initiation of antiviral innate immunity. She is also in the Duke Chorale and enjoys biking, listening to music, and baking.