Welcome to the Charest Lab!
In the laboratory of Dr. Pascale Charest at the University of Arizona, we study how cells migrate in response to external chemical cues (chemoattractants), a process (chemotaxis) that is important to normal physiology and that is also implicated in the onset and progression of diseases such as immune disorders and cancer metastasis. Our goal is to identify key, conserved intracellular signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms that control cell migration to guide the development of therapeutic strategies to treat immune and inflammatory diseases as well as prevent the spread of cancer. For this, we work with the model organism Dictyostelium discoideum to accelerate discovery and with normal and transformed human cells to determine applicability to human health, and we use collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches that include cellular, molecular, biochemical, biophysical, multi-omics, and computational methods.
The research work performed in the Charest lab is largely driven by terrific students, both graduate and undergraduate students, that are part of diverse U. Arizona academic programs, including Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular & Cellular Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Cancer Biology.
The research work performed in the Charest lab is largely driven by terrific students, both graduate and undergraduate students, that are part of diverse U. Arizona academic programs, including Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular & Cellular Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Cancer Biology.
Charest Lab News
June 2026
This month, we welcomed our summer KEYS high school intern, Hunter Tallsalt, from Holbrook High School. Welcome to the Charest Lab!
Meena Khan was awarded a second year of funding on the Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology program NIH-T32 training grant. Congratulations Meena!
This month, we welcomed our summer KEYS high school intern, Hunter Tallsalt, from Holbrook High School. Welcome to the Charest Lab!
Meena Khan was awarded a second year of funding on the Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology program NIH-T32 training grant. Congratulations Meena!
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Meena Khan, Isaiah Toth, and Dr. Charest attended and presented at the Gordon Research Conference on Phosphorylation and G protein-Mediated Signaling Networks June 14-19. Meena and Isaiah also attended the Gordon Research Seminar June 13-14.
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May 2026
Second year graduate students Maniza Muni and Meena Khan both successfully passed their comprehensive exams and are now PhD candidates! Congratulations to both and we're looking forward to seeing what your dissertation research will lead to!
Second year graduate students Maniza Muni and Meena Khan both successfully passed their comprehensive exams and are now PhD candidates! Congratulations to both and we're looking forward to seeing what your dissertation research will lead to!
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Accelerated Master's Program student Ria Siddaiah and senior undergraduate student Caleb Konecek both presented at the Chemistry and Biological Chemistry poster fair and won prizes! Caleb won first place for his senior thesis research poster presentation, and Ria won second place for Biological Sciences-Advanced. Congratulations to both and thank you for representing the lab so well!
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2026 Graduates:
Ria Siddaiah (Molecular and Cellular Biology BSc), Caleb Konecek (Molecular and Cellular Biology BSc, Biochemistry BSc, Spanish BSc), and Kate Santiago (Molecular and Cellular Biology BSc, Biochemistry BSc) have graduated from their B.Sc. programs! All three graduated with Honors, and Kate received the award of MCB's ambassador of the year. Congratulations!
Ria is continuing with us as a Master's student, while Caleb and Kate will start their graduate programs this coming Fall (see below), we will miss you in the lab!
We celebrated our graduates and the end of the 2026 academic year with a trip to Summerhaven on Mt Lemmon, AZ.
Ria Siddaiah (Molecular and Cellular Biology BSc), Caleb Konecek (Molecular and Cellular Biology BSc, Biochemistry BSc, Spanish BSc), and Kate Santiago (Molecular and Cellular Biology BSc, Biochemistry BSc) have graduated from their B.Sc. programs! All three graduated with Honors, and Kate received the award of MCB's ambassador of the year. Congratulations!
Ria is continuing with us as a Master's student, while Caleb and Kate will start their graduate programs this coming Fall (see below), we will miss you in the lab!
We celebrated our graduates and the end of the 2026 academic year with a trip to Summerhaven on Mt Lemmon, AZ.
Caleb, Ria, and Kate.
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Lunch at the Cookie Cabin, Summerhaven, Mt Lemmon, AZ.
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This month, we also welcomed a new graduate student, Rachel Ren, and two undergradaute students part of the U. Arizona Undergraduate Biology Research program (UBRP), Christina Vo and Klarissa Stiff.
Rachel will be pursuing her PhD dissertation work with the Charest Lab, which will focus on identifying proteins interacting with the mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2 (mTORC2) and that are involved in controlling directed cell migration.
Christina and Klarissa work with graduate students Meena Khan and Maniza Muni, respectively, on investigating the role of chemoattractant receptor and G protein dynamics in gradient sensing, as well as their regulation by phosphorylation.
April 2026
Elizabeth Harper has officially joined the lab to pursue her PhD dissertation work, which will focus on investigating the role of calmodulin in chemotaxis. Welcome back, Liz! :-)
Also, Liz is joining the Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology (BMCB) graduate program, we're happy to have you join the MCB Department!
Rachel will be pursuing her PhD dissertation work with the Charest Lab, which will focus on identifying proteins interacting with the mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2 (mTORC2) and that are involved in controlling directed cell migration.
Christina and Klarissa work with graduate students Meena Khan and Maniza Muni, respectively, on investigating the role of chemoattractant receptor and G protein dynamics in gradient sensing, as well as their regulation by phosphorylation.
April 2026
Elizabeth Harper has officially joined the lab to pursue her PhD dissertation work, which will focus on investigating the role of calmodulin in chemotaxis. Welcome back, Liz! :-)
Also, Liz is joining the Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology (BMCB) graduate program, we're happy to have you join the MCB Department!
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Ria Siddahiah presented her research poster at the UofA BECUR (Biological, Engineering, and Chemical Undergraduate Research) conference this month: |
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March 2026
Graduate student Isaiah Toth was awarded a UA College of Science Galileo Circle scholarship. This scholarship recognizes students committed to academic excellence and at the forefront of changing and bettering our world. Congratulations Isaiah!
January 2026
Master student Ria Siddaiah was awarded a Honors Research and Creative Inquiry Award from the UofA W.A. Franke Honors College for the Spring 2026 semester. Congratulations Ria!
Great news from our two fantastic undergraduate students, who are both pursuing graduate studies:
Caleb Konecek: After graduation, Caleb is traveling to Ireland to pursue an MSc in biotechnology at the University of Galway. Following this program, he plans on returning to the US to work with the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management on the remediation of soil and groundwater contamination from the development of the nuclear bombs.
Kate Santiago: Kate will be moving to Knoxville, Tennessee and attend the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center to pursue her Doctorate of Pharmacy.
Congratulations to both, we're looking forward to see your future accomplishments!
Graduate student Isaiah Toth was awarded a UA College of Science Galileo Circle scholarship. This scholarship recognizes students committed to academic excellence and at the forefront of changing and bettering our world. Congratulations Isaiah!
January 2026
Master student Ria Siddaiah was awarded a Honors Research and Creative Inquiry Award from the UofA W.A. Franke Honors College for the Spring 2026 semester. Congratulations Ria!
Great news from our two fantastic undergraduate students, who are both pursuing graduate studies:
Caleb Konecek: After graduation, Caleb is traveling to Ireland to pursue an MSc in biotechnology at the University of Galway. Following this program, he plans on returning to the US to work with the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management on the remediation of soil and groundwater contamination from the development of the nuclear bombs.
Kate Santiago: Kate will be moving to Knoxville, Tennessee and attend the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center to pursue her Doctorate of Pharmacy.
Congratulations to both, we're looking forward to see your future accomplishments!
Charest lab June 2026. Left to right, back row: Meena Khan, Caleb Konecek, Kate Santiago, Klarissa Stiff. Left to right, front row: Isaiah Toth, Rachel Ren, Dr. Pascale Charest, Christina Vo, Maniza Muni, Elizabeth Harper. Absent: Ria Siddaiah.
