In January, NIEHS welcomed two new tenured principal investigators: Rajula Alleva Elango, Ph.D., and Julieta Lischinsky, Ph.D. Elango was recruited from a targeted search in the Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory. Lischinsky was selected as part of the NIH-wide Earl Stadtman Initiative, which seeks to identify and recruit talent through broad interdisciplinary searches. Learn more about Elango and Lischinsky’s research, achievements, and future goals below.
Dr. Ragila Aleva Elango
Elango is a tenured faculty researcher who leads an independent research group within the Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory. She also held a secondary appointment in the Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory. Prior to joining NIEHS, Elango was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
![Dr. Ragila Aleva Elango](https://factor.niehs.nih.gov/sites/niehs-factor/files/2024/02/awards-recognition/new-lab-leads-body1.jpg)
educate: University of Iowa (Ph.D., Biology); University of Mumbai (M.A., Life Sciences); St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai (B.A., Life Sciences)
hobby: Outside of science, I enjoy spending time with my family and taking long walks on the trails with my dog.
Why choose Niels? The institute encourages a collaborative work environment and provides strong support for my research vision. NIEHS is also focused on the success of its trainees and providing them with the resources they need to advance professionally.
Current research: My laboratory will focus on understanding the molecular fate of various DNA lesions in mammalian cells. Recently, I discovered a new role for the Fanconi anemia pathway in the repair of DNA-protein cross-links (DPC), a common type of damage during cell replication and other factors such as oxidative stress. My laboratory will use cutting-edge technologies to investigate how various DNA repair pathways can be systematically coordinated to promote rapid and efficient repair of DPC and several other types of DNA damage in mammals. These studies will enhance our understanding of how repair pathways are disrupted in cells, leading to premature cell aging and the origin or progression of various diseases, including cancer.
What’s next? I am excited to advance the field of DNA damage and repair using the latest sequencing and genetic engineering technologies. Applying these techniques to my research will allow me to answer unique questions with a high level of resolution and precision. I have the pleasure of working with some of the most distinguished researchers at NIEHS. I am also grateful for the opportunity to mentor the next generation of trainees at NIEHS.
Dr. Julietta Lichinski
Lischinsky is an Earl Stadtman Tenured Fellow and NIH Distinguished Scholar, where he leads the Neurobehavioral Circuits Group in the Laboratory of Neurobiology. She also holds a Level II position in the Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory. Prior to joining NIEHS, Lischinsky served as a postdoctoral fellow at New York University Grossman School of Medicine.
![Dr. Julietta Lichinski](https://factor.niehs.nih.gov/sites/niehs-factor/files/2024/02/awards-recognition/new-lab-leads-body2.jpg)
educate: The George Washington University (PhD in Molecular Medicine); University of Toronto (Honours BA in Neuroscience and Psychology)
hobby: Outside of the lab, I really enjoy art and theater, especially going to musicals and concerts. I have recently become a fan of comedy and improv and took advantage of being so close to the Raleigh Improv Club. Additionally, I have always enjoyed playing table tennis and other sports, and I am looking forward to joining the Research Triangle Park area hockey team.
Why choose Niels? What really attracted me to NIEHS was the diverse and complementary basic research being done in the neurobiology laboratories and on-campus research departments. These allow for natural collaboration that leverages complementary scientific and technological strengths. In addition, the scientific resources available to more than 10 research groups sharing core facilities are unparalleled. I’m also passionate about learning about specific efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM, which is a topic I care deeply about and look forward to participating in. Ultimately, I am drawn to working with smart, dedicated, and friendly members of the NIEHS community who share the goal of improving people’s health.
Current research: My research focuses on understanding how social information is processed in the brain and how social behaviors arise. Using mouse models, our group will study the developmental mechanisms by which aggression and other social behaviors are established during infancy and adolescence. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive view of social behavior by analyzing whole-brain function at the cellular, circuit, and behavioral levels. To do this, we will record and manipulate molecularly defined subpopulations in the limbic system during social interactions across gender and developmental time points.
What’s next? I am most excited about studying how environmental factors in childhood—including early-life stress, social isolation, and environmental pollutants—disrupt the neuronal mechanisms and circuits underlying social behavior. The ultimate goal of our group is to develop appropriate, targeted therapies to address social behavioral deficits in infants and adults.
(Dr. Ben Richardson is a Presidential Management Fellow in the NIEHS Office of Communications and Public Liaison.)