Lab Members

Aussie Suzuki, PhD: Principal Investigator

Assistant Professor of Oncology, McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, UW Madison
Genetic & Epigenetic Mechanisms Member – UW Carbone Cancer Center
Faculty in Cancer Biology Graduate Program, MCP (Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology), Biophysics, and CMB (Cellular and Molecular Biology) at the UW-Madison
Steering Committee Member – University of Wisconsin Imaging Core
Committee Member – Cancer Biology Graduate Program Admission Committee, Biophysics Graduate Program Admission Committee, Biophysics Graduate Program Curriculum  Committee, Cancer Biology Graduate Program Curriculum  Committee, and Cancer Biology Seminar Committee
New Investigator Program Grantee – Wisconsin Partnership Program

Education

Postdoctoral Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
PhD, Genetics, National Institute of Genetics, Japan
BS, Pharmacy School at Kyushu University, Japan

Post-doc

Chang Yong Oh: Post-doc (2024 Apr – current)

Graduate students

Yu-Chia Chen: Graduate Student  (2021 Dec-current)

Graduate Program: Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), University of Wisconsin – Madison

Publications

• • • • Bakshi, DD., Chen, YC., Wuerzberger-Davis, SM., Ma, M., Waters, BJ., Li, L., Suzuki, A.,  Miyamoto, S. Ectopic CH60 mediates HAPLN1-induced cell survival signaling in multiple myeloma. Life Science Alliance, Vol 6, no 3, e202201636, (2022).
      • Wu, C., Balakrishnan, VK., Parihar, PS., Konovolov, K., Chen, YC., Merrill, RA., Wei, H., Carragher, B., Sundaresan, R., Cui, Q., Wadzinski, BE., Swingle, MR., Musiyenko, A., Honkanen, R., Chung, W., Suzuki, A., Strack, S., Huang, X., Xing, Y. Extended regulation interface coupled to the allosteric network and disease mutations in the PP2A-B56 holoenzyme.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 121 (1) e2310727120, 2024
      • Chen, YL., Chen, YC., Suzuki, A.* ImmunoCellCycle-ID: A high-precision immunofluorescence-based method for cell cycle identification. Journal of Cell Science, 15, November 2024; 137 (22): jcs263414.
      • Norman, R.†, Chen, YC.†, Recchia M., Loi, J., Rosemarie, Q., Lesko, S., Patel, S., Sherer, NM., Takaku, M., Burkard, M., Suzuki, A.* One step 4x and 12x 3D-ExM enables robust super-resolution microscopy of nanoscale cellular structures. Journal of Cell Biology , 224 (2): e202407116, 2025. († co-first author)
      • Chen, YC.†, Takada M.†, Nagornyuk, A., Yu, M., Yamada, H., Nagashima, T., Ohtsuka, M., DeLuca, JG., Markus, S., Takaku, M., Suzuki, A.* “Inhibition of p38-MK2 pathway enhances the efficacy of microtubule inhibitors in breast cancer cells“, eLife, 13:RP104859. 2025. († co-first author)
      • Chen, YC., Kilic, E., Wang, E., Rossman, W., Suzuki, A.* CENcyclopedia: Dynamic Landscape of Kinetochore Architecture Throughout the Cell Cycle. (Under peer-review) available in bioRxiv

Award/Fellowship

• • • • MCP (Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology) Symposium Poster Award 2024
      • Cancer Biology Student&Postdoc Seminar Series Presentation Award  2024

Dhaval Ghone: Graduate Student- Biophysics (2023 Jan-current)

Graduate Program: Biophysics, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Publications

• • • • Yamada H., Takada M., Ghone, D., Yu M.,  Nagashima, T., Fujimoto, H., Sakakibara, J., Hasegawa Y., Takao, S., Yamada, A., Narui, K., Ishikawa, T., Suzuki, A., Ohtsuka, M. “Eribulin induces micronuclei and enhances the nuclear localization of cGAS in triple-negative breast cancer cells” Scientific Reports, 14(1):14146, 2024
      • Loi, J., Ghone, D., Qu, X., Suzuki, A*. 3D-Aligner: An advanced computational tool designed to correct image distortion in expansion microscopy for precise 3D reconstitution and quantitative analysis. Communications Biology, 7, 1325, (2024).
      • Ghone, D., Evans III, EL.,  Bandini, M., Stephenson, KG., Sherer, NM.*, Suzuki, A.* “HIV-1 Vif disrupts phosphatase feedback regulation at the kinetochore leading to a pronounced pseudo-metaphase arrest“, eLife, 13:RP101136, 2025.
      • Bandini, M., Ghone, D., Evans III, EL., Suzuki, A.*, Sherer, NM.* “HIV-1 Vif and Vpr cooperatively modulate the cell cycle to maximize per cell virion production”,  Under review

Muhan Yu: Visiting Graduate Student from Chiba University (2023 Oct-current)

Publications

• • • • Yamada H., Takada M., Ghone D., Yu M.,  Nagashima, T., Fujimoto, H., Sakakibara, J., Hasegawa Y., Takao, S., Yamada, A., Narui, K., Ishikawa, T., Suzuki, A., Ohtsuka, M. Eribulin induces micronuclei and enhances the nuclear localization of cGAS in triple-negative breast cancer cells. Scientific Reports, 14(1):14146, 2024
      • Chen, YC., Takada M., Nagornyuk, A., Yu, M., Yamada, H., Nagashima, T., Ohtsuka, M., DeLuca, JG., Markus, S., Takaku, M., Suzuki, A.* “Inhibition of p38-MK2 pathway enhances the efficacy of microtubule inhibitors in breast cancer cells“, eLife, 13:RP104859. 2025. 

Technician

Yu-Lin Chen: Technician (2023 Oct-current)

Publications

• • • • Chen, YL., Chen, YC., Suzuki, A.* ImmunoCellCycle-ID: A high-precision immunofluorescence-based method for cell cycle identification. Journal of Cell Science, 15, 137 (22): jcs263414, 2024
      • Chen, YL., Reddy, S., Suzuki, A.* Reversible and effective cell cycle synchronization method for studying stage-specific investigation. Life Science Alliance, 8 (5), e202403000, 2025
      • Kim, EJ., Bacabac, M.S.,  Wang, Y., M., Chen, YL., Ma, M.,  Liu, P., Zhou, J., Fry, C.J., Hoffman, J.R., Yu, M., Li, L., Suzuki, A., Li, S., Xu, W. “CARM1-mediated MAP2K4 methylation potentiates the oncogenic functions of MAP2K4 and constitutes a targetable dependency in triple-negative breast cancer”, Cancer Research, doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-24-3476., 2025
      • Chen, YL. and Suzuki, A. “Advanced High-Resolution and Super-Resolution Microscopy Techniques for Investigating Chromatin Structure and Epigenetics”, Methods in Molecular Biology, in press
      • Reddy, S., Chen, YL., Suzuki, A.* “Accurate identification of cell cycle stages in RPE1 cells using the ImmunoCellCycle-ID method”,  Under review

Jason (Chieh-Chang) Lin: Technician (2024 March-current)

Publications

• • • • Lin, CC. and Suzuki, A.* “Calibrating Fluorescence Microscopy with 3D-Speckler (3D fluorescence speckle analyzer)“, Bio-protocol, Vol 14, Iss 16, Aug 20, 2024

Madhukar Musku: Research Intern (2024 Nov-current)

Maggie (Magdalena) Lazraj: Research Intern (2025 Feb-current)

Syon Reddy: Research Intern (2025 May-current; Undergraduate Researcher: 2023 Feb- 2025 May)

Publications

• • • • Chen, YL., Reddy, S., Suzuki, A.* Reversible and effective cell cycle synchronization method for studying stage-specific investigation. Life Science Alliance,  8 (5), e202403000, 2025,
      • Reddy, S., Chen, YL., Suzuki, A.* “Accurate identification of cell cycle stages in RPE1 cells using the ImmunoCellCycle-ID method”,  Under review

Undergraduate researchers

Kaelyn Stephenson: Undergraduate Research Student (2022 Sep-current)

Major: Genetics, University of Wisconsin – Madison

          Award/Fellowship

• • • • PennState PROMISE (Penn State Research training in Oncology and Medicine to Inspire Student Engagement) Program 2023
      • Hilldale Sophomore Research Fellowship 2023
      • Genetics & Genomics Undergraduate Distinguished Research Fellowships 2024
      • Hilldale Undergraduate Research Fellowship 2025
      • Promega Summer Internship 2025

Publications

• • • • Ghone, D., Evans III, EL.,  Bandini, M., Stephenson, KG., Sherer, NM.*, Suzuki, A.* “HIV-1 Vif disrupts phosphatase feedback regulation at the kinetochore leading to a pronounced pseudo-metaphase arrest“, eLife, 13:RP101136, 2025

Evelyn Wang: Undergraduate Research Student (2023 Jun-current)

Publications

• • • • Chen, YC., Kilic, E., Wang, E., Rossman, W., Suzuki, A.* CENcyclopedia: Dynamic Landscape of Kinetochore Architecture Throughout the Cell Cycle. (Under peer-review) available in bioRxiv

Rebecca Wehrung: Undergraduate Research Student (2024 Jan-current)

Aneena Kalarithara: Undergraduate Research Student (2024 Sep-current)

Fleli Hakizimana: Undergraduate Research Student (2025 March-current)

Award/Fellowship

• • • • Letters and Science Summer of Excellence in Research (LASER) Scholar, 2025

Graduate Students

Roshan Norman: Graduate Student (Burkard Lab, co-mentored, 2018 Sep-2023 Nov)

5 years and 2 months to obtain his Ph.D.

Graduate Program: Biophysics, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Publications

• • • • Norman, R.†, Chen, YC.†, Recchia M., Loi, J., Rosemarie, Q., Lesko, S., Patel, S., Sherer, NM., Takaku, M., Burkard, M., Suzuki, A.* One step 4x and 12x 3D-ExM enables robust super-resolution microscopy of nanoscale cellular structures. Journal of Cell Biology , 224 (2): e202407116, 2025.

Patent

• • • • “KITS AND METHODS FOR SUPER-RESOLUTION MICROSCOPY”

Inventors: Aussie Suzuki, Mark Burkard, Roshan Norman, Emma Recchia

Jon Loi: Graduate Student (2020 Oct- 2023 August, Ph.D.) 2 years and 10 months to obtain his Ph.D.

Graduate Program: Biophysics, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Publications

• • • • Loi, J., Qu, X., Suzuki, A*. Semi-automated 3D fluorescence speckle analyzer (3D-Speckler) for microscope calibration and nanoscale measurement.  Journal of Cell Biology, 222, (4), 2023.
      • Loi, J., Ghone, D., Qu, X., Suzuki, A*. 3D-Aligner: An advanced computational tool designed to correct image distortion in expansion microscopy for precise 3D reconstitution and quantitative analysis. Communications Biology, 7, 1325, (2024).
      • Norman, R.†, Chen, YC.†, Recchia M., Loi, J., Rosemarie, Q., Lesko, S., Patel, S., Sherer, NM., Takaku, M., Burkard, M., Suzuki, A.* One step 4x and 12x 3D-ExM enables robust super-resolution microscopy of nanoscale cellular structures. Journal of Cell Biology , 224 (2): e202407116, 2025

Postdocs and Technicians

Sungjin Park, PhD: Postdoc (2020 July-2022 Feb)

Current: Senior Scientist, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Ozge AL, PhD: Post-doctoral Fellow (2021-2022)

Current: Assistant Professor, Dept. of Anatomy, Erciyes University, Turkey

Ebru Guver, MS: Research Technician (2022 July-2022 Oct)

Master of Science, Konstanz University, Germany, 2022
BS, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent University, Turkey, 2020

Emma Recchia: Associate Research Specialist

Current: Research Assistant at UW-Madison

Publications

• • • • Norman, R.†, Chen, YC.†, Recchia M., Loi, J., Rosemarie, Q., Lesko, S., Patel, S., Sherer, NM., Takaku, M., Burkard, M., Suzuki, A.* One step 4x and 12x 3D-ExM enables robust super-resolution microscopy of nanoscale cellular structures. Journal of Cell Biology , 224 (2): e202407116, 2025.

Patent

• • • • “KITS AND METHODS FOR SUPER-RESOLUTION MICROSCOPY”

Inventors: Aussie Suzuki, Mark Burkard, Roshan Norman, Emma Recchia

Undergraduates

Ainslie Homan: Undergraduate Research Student (2021 Sep-2025 May)

Major: Biology, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Award/Fellowship

• • • • Mayo Clinic Summer Lab Science Program (SLSP) 2024
      • Biochemistry Undergraduate Summer Research Award 2024

Ece Kilic: Undergraduate Research Student (2021 Dec-2024 May)

Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Current: Scientist in Merck, Boston, MA
Ph.D. student at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (2026)

Publications

• • • • Chen, YC., Kilic, E., Wang, E., Rossman, W., Suzuki, A.* CENcyclopedia: Dynamic Landscape of Kinetochore Architecture Throughout the Cell Cycle. (Under peer-review) available in bioRxiv 

Award/Fellowship

• • • • Hilldale Undergraduate Research Fellowship 2023

Will Rossman: Undergraduate Research Student (2023 Feb-2024 May)

Publications

• • • • Chen, YC., Kilic, E., Wang, E., Rossman, W., Suzuki, A.* CENcyclopedia: Dynamic Landscape of Kinetochore Architecture Throughout the Cell Cycle. (Under peer-review) available in bioRxiv

Jennifer Qu: Undergraduate Research Student (2019-2022 Aug)

Current: Graduate Student at the Johns Hopkins University – Bioengineering (2022)

Publications

• • • Loi, J., Qu, X., Suzuki, A*. Semi-automated 3D fluorescence speckle analyzer (3D-Speckler) for microscope calibration and nanoscale measurement.  Journal of Cell Biology, 222, (4), 2023.
    • Loi, J., Ghone, D., Qu, X., Suzuki, A*. 3D-Aligner: An advanced computational tool designed to correct image distortion in expansion microscopy for precise 3D reconstitution and quantitative analysis. Communications Biology, 7, 1325, (2024).

Ananya Damodare: Undergraduate Research Student (2021-2022)

Current: Life Science Consulting Firm, Florida

Alex Li: Undergraduate Research Student (2019-2022)

Research Award: 2021-2022 Wisconsin Hilldale Undergraduate/Faculty Research Fellowship
Current: Research Intern at UW-Madison

Smit Patel: Undergraduate Research Student (2019-2021, Graduate early)

Current: Research Analyst at University of Chicago

Publications

• • • • Norman, R.†, Chen, YC.†, Recchia M., Loi, J., Rosemarie, Q., Lesko, S., Patel, S., Sherer, NM., Takaku, M., Burkard, M., Suzuki, A.* One step 4x and 12x 3D-ExM enables robust super-resolution microscopy of nanoscale cellular structures. Journal of Cell Biology , 224 (2): e202407116, 2025. Original bioRxiv version is available here.

Jacob Massonet: Undergraduate Research Student (2021 Jan-Dec, Graduate early)

Current: Principal Research Associate at Invenra, Inc, WI,  M.S. in Biotechnology Program at UW-Madison (Class of 2026)

Jihua Liu: Undergraduate Research Student (2019-2021, Graduate early)

Research Award: Biochemistry Summer Research Fellowship
M.S. at University of Pennsylvania (Biostatistics) 2022
Current: Biomedical Data Science Ph.D. program at UW-Madison

Ángel Alvarado: Master’s student Researcher (2020-2021)

Current: Research assistant at MIT

Sophia Liu: Visiting Undergraduate Fellow/Intern, Summer 2019

Home Institution: Columbia University, New York; Second year student
Major: Pre-Medical, Biomedical or Chemical Engineering
Research Award: Columbia University Scholars Program Summer Enhancement Fellowship and Columbia Engineering Internship
Current: Med school student at UW-Madison