People & training
Meet the lab.
Our research brings together biochemistry, molecular biology and a shared interest in how cells maintain their genomes.
Lab members
Principal investigator
James M. Dewar
Background
James studied Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Bath and received his PhD in yeast genetics from Newcastle University. He completed postdoctoral training with Johannes Walter at Harvard Medical School and joined Vanderbilt in 2016.
Research technician
Steven Dahmen
Background
Steven graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2020 with a BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He entered Vanderbilt's Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in 2021 and joined the Dewar Lab in 2022.
Background
Josh graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a BS in Chemistry in 2023. He joined the Dewar Lab through Vanderbilt's Quantitative and Chemical Biology program in 2023.
Postdoctoral researcher
Savannah Weeks-Pollenz
Background
Savannah earned a BS in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2018 and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Florida in 2024. She studied bacterial helicases with Linda Bloom and joined the Dewar Lab as a postdoctoral researcher in November 2024.
Background
Ethan graduated from Furman University in 2022 with a BS in Chemistry and a BA in Music. He completed postbaccalaureate research with Rafael de Cabo at the National Institute on Aging from 2022 to 2024. He began graduate training at Vanderbilt in 2024 and is a PhD student in the Dewar Lab.
Background
Khushi graduated from the University of Georgia with a BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2024. She conducted undergraduate research with Walter Schmidt on protein prenylation, entered Vanderbilt's Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in 2024 and joined the Dewar Lab as a PhD student in May 2025.
Emma Vontalge
Former PhD student
Sabrina Van Ravenstein
Former PhD student
Darren Heintzman
Former research assistant
Lillian Campos
Former postdoctoral researcher
Tamar Kavlashvili
Former graduate student
Stedman Stephens
Former research assistant
Our lab compact
How we work together
Read our shared values, trainee expectations and mentoring commitments.
