Our lab studies cellular intelligence — the molecular logic by which cells sense their environment, interpret nutrient availability and growth signals, and dynamically regulate metabolism, growth, and survival. We are a team of highly driven and dedicated scientists working at the interface of biology and chemistry to answer these fundamental questions at the level of atoms, molecules, and cells. We use a full range of approaches from structural biology, chemical biology, cell biology, biophysics, and biochemistry to discover new basic knowledge and contribute to the development of therapeutics for devastating diseases of growth, including cancer and tuberous sclerosis.
Our lab is an integral part of the Stanford Cancer Institute, the Department of Structural Biology, and the Department of Chemical and Systems Biology.
We are always on the lookout for new Post-docs and PhD students—if you share our passion for understanding how cells make decisions and for translating mechanism into therapeutic ideas, please get in touch!
We are proud to announce that our recent mTOR manuscript was published today in Nature. By combining structural biology, cell biology, and computational simulations, we deciphered the underlying molecular mechanisms by which cells sense nutrients and initiate growth.
To set the stage: In the presence of nutrients, the human master regulator of cellular growth—the mTORC1 protein complex—activates a range of downstream pathways that govern cell growth and metabolism. The key information about nutrient availability is detected by the nutrient-sensing hub GATOR2, which in turn regulates mTORC1 activity. Until now, the molecular mechanism behind this nutrient-sensing ability remained unknown.
In collaboration with researchers from MIT and Harvard, we revealed how different nutrient sensors—Sestrin2 (for leucine) and CASTOR1 (for arginine)—bind to the surface of the GATOR2 complex in the absence of nutrients. We show how nutrient binding triggers a cascade that causes these sensor proteins to release from the complex surface, leading to chemical and structural rearrangements that activate mTORC1 and promote cellular growth.
These insights deepen our understanding of a central regulatory mechanism in human physiology and pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies to modulate nutrient sensing — with potential implications for treating cancer and metabolic diseases.
Read the press release from the Stanford Cancer Institute [LINK]
Check out the Nature’s Research Briefing written by Karen Linde-Garelli [LINK]
Written by: Maximilian Wranik, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, August 2025 Photos by: Steven Truong, MD-PhD student, August 2025
July 7, 2025
Rogala Lab hikes out to Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
Taking a break from the grind of lab work, the Rogala Lab sent to hike the nearby hills, forests, and grassland of the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve. Located a mere 12 miles south, Rancho San Antonio offers a plethora of vivid sights for all manner of hikers. From encounters with wild turkeys in the open shrubland to the lush forested interior, this most popular mid-peninsula county park offered a chance to get down and dirty in the often overlooked natural wonders of the south bay. Shoutout to the wonderful park rangers of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space Preserve system who ensure that peninsula locals can have a bit of nature to immerse themselves in! Rancho San Antonio Preserve | Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
Rancho San Antonio County Park & Open Space Preserve offers visitors a unique experience with a sampling of diverse environments, interesting cultural history and a variety of activities. The area features over 25 miles of trail throughout the 2,180-acre open space preserve and adjoining 293-acre county park.
Written by: Joshua Ishimoto, Postbaccalaureate student, July 2025 Photos by: Steven Truong, MD-PhD student, July 2025
December 31, 2024
Francie Igboabuchi attends ABRCMS 2024
Our post-baccalaureate student, Francie Igboabuchi, was selected to present a poster at the 2024ABRCMS conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on November 13-16. Below, Francie shares her conference experience.
The 2024 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) held in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was truly extraordinary and filled with inspiration. With over 6,000 attendees—students, judges, and representatives from various institutions—the conference provided a dynamic platform for sharing knowledge and fostering collaboration in the biomedical sciences. The keynote speeches, workshops, and networking opportunities were enriching. The notable keynote speakers, including Dr. Avery August, Dr. Stefano Bertuzzi, and Ed Gainey, Mayor of Pittsburgh, kicked off the event and shared their personal and professional journeys, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and innovation in the face of adversity.
ABRCMS is an NIH-funded conference dedicated to promoting diversity in biomedical and health-related sciences. It empowers undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds by showcasing their research, connecting with peers and mentors, and exploring career development opportunities through presentations, workshops, and mentorship. Each year, the conference also features a diverse array of exhibitors and recruiters from graduate and medical schools, offering opportunities to explore potential career paths and network with professionals eager to support the next generation of scientists.
A highlight of the conference was presenting my poster on the assembly of various protein complexes on the surface of lysosomes. It was an honor to share our research conducted at the Rogala Lab at Stanford and demonstrate how our findings contribute to understanding cellular processes and their implications for cancer biology. Engaging with judges and fellow attendees during my presentation sparked discussions that ignited my curiosity and shed more light on the significance of our work. Equally fulfilling was the chance to support my peers in my REACH Post-baccalaureate Program cohort. Witnessing their passion and dedication as they presented their scientific projects inspired me and reinforced the importance of collaboration and mentorship within our community. Celebrating each other’s successes and sharing insights on our respective research endeavors created an atmosphere of encouragement that was truly uplifting.
In conclusion, my experience at ABRCMS 2024 not only sparked inspiration but also reinforced my commitment to my research and the broader scientific community. I am excited to carry the momentum from this event as I move forward in my academic pursuits, empowered by the knowledge that I am part of a vibrant and supportive network of future scientists. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Stanford School of Medicine’s REACH Initiative, the Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, and my principal investigator, Dr. Kacper Rogala, for their invaluable support. Through their guidance and generous funding, it was possible for me to present our research at the Rogala Lab at the ABRCMS conference. Thank you for being an integral part of my journey and for believing in me.
Written by: Francie Igboabuchi, Postbaccalaureate student, December 2024
A major focus of our work is understanding how cells make growth decisions—to grow or not to grow. Cell growth is not automatic: it must be continuously matched to environmental conditions such as nutrient availability, presence of growth factors, energy status, and stress. This matching is carried out by a network of proteins that sense these inputs, transmit information, and rapidly shift cellular metabolism between anabolic states that support growth and catabolic states that support adaptation and recycling.
Many of the proteins involved in this decision-making process localize to the surface of the lysosome. Beyond its classical role as a specialized organelle that degrades biomolecules, the lysosome also functions as a sophisticated signaling hub where cells monitor nutrient availability and coordinate metabolic responses. Collectively, we call these proteins “the mTOR pathway”, because the major enforcer of growth decisions is the protein kinase mTOR. mTOR works together with its companion proteins Raptor and mLST8 to assemble mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), the central growth-control complex in this pathway.
mTORC1 docks on the lysosomal surface and is activated through association with two small GTPases, Rag and Rheb, which respond to nutrients and growth factors, respectively. Together, Rag and Rheb constitute the molecular AND logic gate that controls mTORC1: both inputs must be satisfied for full growth activation. Our lab is deciphering how these proteins assemble, how they communicate, how their activities are regulated by environmental cues, and how this decision-making system becomes dysregulated in disease.
RESEARCH
Nutrient transport
We are fascinated by how membrane proteins transport nutrients across cellular and intracellular membranes, and how cells dynamically control these transport processes to adapt to changing environments. We are especially interested in SLC membrane transporter proteins, which mediate the movement of metabolites between compartments. A key question is how the cell regulates these transporters—through localization, activity, abundance, and coupling to signaling pathways—to adjust metabolism and meet changing demands for growth, adaptation, and survival.
These questions are especially important in cancer, where nutrient transport systems are often rewired to support survival under harsh conditions. For example, many oncogene-transformed pancreatic cancers (e.g. KRAS mutants) persist in nutrient-poor environments that would severely limit other cells. These cancer cells rewire their metabolism to become aggressive scavengers of extracellular protein. Instead of relying primarily on standard uptake of free metabolites, these cancer cells scavenge and recycle protein via mechanisms of macropinocytosis and autophagy, digest it inside lysosomes, and then release the resulting amino acids to fuel growth. A key part of this process is carried out by lysosomal nutrient transporters, which control the movement of digested metabolites from the lysosomal lumen to the cytosol. Our lab is interested in how these transporter proteins work, how cells regulate them in different physiological and disease contexts, and how they might be targeted therapeutically in cancers with unorthodox metabolic dependencies.
Across all areas of our research, we develop binders—small molecules and antibody fragments (e.g. nanobodies), that interact selectively with target proteins. We use these binders to stabilize specific protein states, probe mechanism, perturb function in cells, and reveal how molecular recognition and conformational change control biological activity.
These binders are powerful research tools, and they can also serve as starting points for therapeutic discovery. By combining structural, biochemical, and cellular insight with binder development, we aim to uncover new ways to modulate disease-relevant proteins and pathways. This work is highly collaborative and extends from protein mechanisms to targeted therapeutics, in partnership with chemists, computational biologists, bioengineers, and clinicians.
People
Kacper Rogala
Principal Investigator
Dr. Kacper Rogala is an Assistant Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine with a joint appointment between the Department of Structural Biology and the Department of Chemical and Systems Biology. He is also a Leader in the Stanford Cancer Institute.
BSc(Hons): University of Edinburgh, Scotland
MRes: University College London, England
DPhil: University of Oxford, England
Postdoctoral Fellow: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
Kacper was born and raised in Poland, and educated in three wonderful British cities: Oxford, London and Edinburgh, where he studied chemistry of living things, or simply — biochemistry. During his studies, Kacper developed a deep passion for proteins — how they work, what they look like, and how they interact with other proteins and small molecules. This passion led him to pursue a trans-Atlantic postdoc between two Cambridges: one in the UK and one in Massachusetts. As a researcher at MIT, the Whitehead Institute, the Broad Institute, and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Kacper began unraveling the mechanisms of nutrient sensing on the surface of lysosomes.
Kacper joined Stanford as an assistant professor in 2022, and together with his team they are leading the charge towards mechanistic understanding of how cells control metabolism in response to nutrients and growth factors, and ways to modulate these activities with chemical probes — for the benefit of patients.
You can listen to an interview with Kacper by the Tuberous Sclerosis Association.
And here is another short interview with Kacper — from his time at MIT.
Kacper has earned numerous awards for his work, including: • The Peer Reviewed Cancer Career Development Award from the United States Department of Defense • The NIH Pathway to Independence Award from the National Cancer Institute • Margaret and Herman Sokol Postdoctoral Award in Biomedical Research from the Whitehead Institute • Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Award from the Charles A. King Trust • Junior Research Fellowship from the Tuberous Sclerosis Association • Best Master of Research Student Prize from University College London for the top graduating student.
Dr. Yuri Choi is a postdoctoral scholar in the Rogala Lab.
BS: Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
PhD: Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
Yuri was born and raised in Seoul, Korea. She was trained as a structural biologist, and received her PhD from Seoul National University. Yuri’s doctoral work was focused on revealing biological relationships between proteins and their binding partners using X-ray crystallography. She is interested in molecular mechanisms of membrane proteins, and in the Rogala Lab, Yuri is leading membrane-focused cryo-EM projects.
Dr. Christabelle Rajesh is a postdoctoral scholar in the Rogala Lab.
BS: St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, India
MS: Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India
MS: Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
PhD: University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
Christabelle was born and raised in Mumbai, India, where she developed an early interest in biology and biochemistry. Her training has focused on cell signaling, metabolism, and cell-cell communication in cancer. During her PhD, she studied how glycoproteins shape immune responses in the pancreatic tumor microenvironment and explored cancer-cell-specific antigens as therapeutic targets. She later investigated signaling differences and RAS-inhibitor resistance in KRAS G12D and KRAS G12R pancreatic cancers, an experience that sparked her interest in using structure-informed hypotheses to study cancer metabolism and signaling.
In the Rogala Lab, Christabelle is studying lysosomal transporters that form discrete hubs in cancer-cell metabolism and regulate nutrient sensing and availability. Her goal is to build a mechanistic foundation for targeting these transporters using the team’s drug-development platforms.
Fun facts & hobbies:
Christabelle loves exploring new cities and towns, especially while walking with music in her ears. She also enjoys cooking and baking, and her travels throughout India, France, Italy, and the United States have sparked an interest in flavors from cuisines around the world. Her baking highlights include tiramisu cake and berry Chantilly cake.
Dr. Trevor Yeh is a postdoctoral scholar in the Rogala Lab.
BS: Dominican University of California, San Rafael, California
PhD: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Trevor was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. During his undergraduate studies in chemistry, he developed a love for visualizing molecules and their motion through molecular dynamics simulations, which sparked his interest in structural dynamics and biology. In his PhD studies in the lab of Prof. Randy Stockbridge, he focused on understanding the mechanism of secondary active transport through single-molecule observations.
In the Rogala Lab, Trevor is studying the biophysical mechanisms of lysosomal nutrient transporters implicated in cancer and rare diseases.
Fun facts & hobbies:
In his free time, Trevor loves to go fishing, play badminton, and tinker with technology.
Publication highlights:
Burata & Yeh et al. 2022. Journal of Biological Chemistry. PubMed: 36100040 // Journal website.
Dr. LJ Kim is a senior scientist in the Rogala Lab.
BS: Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California
PhD: University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
LJ was born in Korea and moved to California when she was 10. Her doctoral work focused on using electron crystallography to elucidate structures of complex natural products. As a postdoctoral scholar at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, she used solution scattering and electron microscopy to characterize and help guide the design of lipid nanoparticles. Throughout her academic career, she developed a deep appreciation for using an integrative approach to study structures and dynamics.
In the Rogala Lab, LJ is studying megacomplexes on the lysosomal membrane using electron microscopy techniques.
Fun facts & hobbies:
LJ enjoys long-distance running, baking, and needle felting. She is also learning how to play bass guitar.
Dr. Sebastian Jojoa-Cruz is a senior scientist in the Rogala Lab.
BSc: Universidad Icesi, Cali, Colombia
PhD: The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
Postdoc: The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
Sebastian was born in Cali, Colombia. He obtained his Bachelor’s in Biology at Universidad Icesi, and subsequently moved to the US to pursue his doctoral studies. At Scripps Research, he joined the lab of Dr. Andrew Ward to work on mechanosensitive ion channels. Using cryo-EM, he determined the structures of the OSCA and Flycatcher1 channels, and identified elements that allow these channels to sense tension in the lipid bilayer. As a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Dr. Marco Mravic at Scripps Research, Sebastian built de novo binders and synthetic transmembrane subunits against membrane targets, and developed cell-based assays needed to screen and validate these binders.
In the Rogala Lab, Sebastian is building the biochemistry needed to interrogate lysosomal SLC transporters implicated in cancer and rare disease, including strategies to stabilize these small, dynamic membrane proteins for structure determination and designed binders to trap and probe specific transport states.
Karen Linde-Garelli is a PhD candidate in the Cancer Biology — Biosciences program at Stanford, and is currently conducting her doctoral research in the Rogala Lab. Karen is also co-mentored by Dr. Katrin Svensson at Stanford Pathology.
BSc: Rochester Institute of Technology, New York
Karen was born in Argentina, and grew up in Texas. Before committing to a PhD degree at Stanford, Karen worked at a number of pharma / biotech / non-profit companies, innovating and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. At Regeneron, she developed code to automate bioreactor operation and maintenance, leading to improved yields of biologic-producing cells. At ATCC, she worked on developing a working assay for immune checkpoint therapies. At Relay Therapeutics, Karen worked on protein-protein interaction studies to probe small molecule inhibitors for allosteric pockets of protein kinases. At the Whitehead Institute, Karen worked on structural biology of mTOR proteins, involved in sensing and transport of nutrients.
Karen is a protein chemist extraordinaire, currently leading a project focused on cracking the mechanisms of nutrient transport between the lysosome and cytosol.
Fun fact:
During her high-school years, Karen used to playe clarinet semi-professionally, which involved tours all over the US, and including a special show in the White House.
Publication highlights:
Linde-Garelli and Rogala 2023 (REVIEW). Current Opinion in Structural Biology. PubMed: 36807348 // Journal website.
Steven Truong is enrolled in the Stanford MD-PhD Medical Scientist Training Program, and is currently conducting his doctoral research in the Rogala Lab.
SB: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
MPhil: University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England
MA: Royal Holloway, University of London, London, England
Steven grew up in Minnesota. During his undergraduate years at MIT, he worked to develop diabetes therapies and to understand the disease’s pathogenesis. This personal interest in diabetes grew into an awe for all things metabolism. He likes to draw and stare at metabolic pathways, just as an art student appreciates paintings. After all, there are alkynes of ways to admire nature’s beauty.
In the Rogala Lab, Steven studies regulators of the mTOR pathway, from metabolites to proteins. He is especially interested in how these regulators translate to therapeutic potential.
Fun facts & hobbies:
Steven runs a photography business—taking regular photos, not of the electron microscope kind. If you need professional photos, feel free to reach out at www.sdtruong.com!
Michelle Lee is enrolled in the Stanford Chemistry PhD Program, and is currently conducting her research in the Rogala Lab. Michelle is also co-mentored by Dr. Nathanael Gray at Stanford Chemical & Systems Biology.
SB: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Michelle grew up in Korea and came to the United States for high school. She likes molecules. As an undergraduate in chemistry at MIT, she was introduced to the concept that small molecules’ electronic properties can be fine-tuned to precisely control protein behavior for therapeutic development. Enamored with this idea, she focused on synthesizing small molecules that can reversibly modulate CRISPR-Cas activity, during which she also developed a deep appreciation for the art of expressing and purifying proteins. At Stanford, her interests in chemical biology and protein biochemistry converged on structural biology, where she can take pictures of proteins — and see exactly where molecules might bind.
In the Rogala Lab, Michelle is leveraging a deep structural understanding of the mTOR pathway to explore next-generation therapeutic approaches. She also aims to uncover the communication networks of transceptors, which could pave the way for identifying novel targets.
Michelle has been awarded a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation and the prestigious Knight-Hennessy Scholarship to pursue her PhD studies at Stanford.
Fun facts & hobbies:
Michelle enjoys defying gravity. She practices Ashtanga Yoga and can often be found attempting to hold headstands in various places. She also trains in pole fitness—although she once struggled to move 4L of dichloromethane, she can now climb a pole right up to the ceiling!
Stênio Alves de Assis is a postbaccalaureate student in the Rogala Lab.
BS: Minerva University, San Francisco, California
Born and raised in Fortaleza, Brazil, Stênio first learned about the possibility of combining sciences in high school. His fascination with integrative science led him to pursue an interdisciplinary path at Minerva University, an international bachelor’s program that allowed him to study in seven countries. He developed a strong passion for applying computer science and mathematics to explore the intricacies of biological systems, which led him to research the implications of material and biological parameters for wound healing at Raudel Avila’s lab at Rice University. Later, he built machine learning and mathematical models to predict the trajectories of cells under electric fields.
In the Rogala Lab, Stênio is exploring the meso scale of protein-protein interactions on the biological membrane.
Fun facts & hobbies:
Stênio has taught both university-level calculus and elementary/middle-school math. Stênio enjoys running, biking, and playing the ukulele. He is also passionate about agriculture, education, linguistics, and philosophy. In his free time, he enjoys creative writing and shares some of his work on Substack, https://steniodeassis.substack.com.
blue & bold — Rogala Lab member
Ψ — equal contribution
@ — corresponding author
Structural basis for the recruitment and selective phosphorylation of Akt by mTORC2
Martin S. TaylorΨ, Maggie ChenΨ, Matthew HancockΨ, Maximilian WranikΨ, Bryant D. Miller, Timothy R. O’Meara, Brad A. Palanski, Scott B. Ficarro, Brian J. Groendyke, Yufei Xiang, Kazuma T. Kondo, Karen Y. Linde-Garelli, Michelle J. Lee, Dibyendu Mondal, Daniel Freund, Samantha Congreve, Kaay Matas, Maximiliaan Hennink, Kera Xibinaku, Max L. Valenstein, Trevor van Eeuwen, Jarrod A. Marto, Andrej Sali, Yi Shi, Nathanael S. Gray, David M. Sabatini, Nam Chu@, Kacper B. Rogala@, and Philip A. Cole@.
Structural basis for the dynamic regulation of mTORC1 by amino acids
Max L. ValensteinΨ, Maximilian WranikΨ, Pranav V. Lalgudi, Karen Y. Linde-Garelli, Yuri Choi, Raghu R. Chivukula, David M. Sabatini@, Kacper B. Rogala@.
Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09428-7. 2025 August 20.
Max L ValensteinΨ@, Kacper B RogalaΨ@, Pranav V. Lalgudi, Edward J Brignole, Xin Gu, Robert A Saxton, Lynne Chantranupong, Jonas Kolibius, Jan-Philipp Quast, David M Sabatini.
Structural basis for the docking of mTORC1 on the lysosomal surface.
Kacper B Rogala, Xin Gu, Jibril F Kedir, Monther Abu-Remaileh, Laura F Bianchi, Alexia M S Bottino, Rikke Dueholm, Anna Niehaus, Daan Overwijn, Ange-Célia Priso Fils, Sherry X Zhou, Daniel Leary, Nouf N Laqtom, Edward J Brignole, David M Sabatini.
We welcome ambitious, thoughtful trainees who care deeply about doing excellent science and doing it in a collaborative, generous way. Our lab values intellectual curiosity, trust, collegiality, and the confidence to take on difficult questions with creativity, rigor, and persistence.
We are especially excited by students and postdocs who are driven, self-motivated, and eager to grow. The people who thrive most in our lab are those who seek feedback, work hard, contribute to a supportive team culture, and bring genuine curiosity and intellectual honesty to their science.
Our lab is deeply committed to a growth mindset in training. In Rogala Lab, trainees learn to think critically and develop the technical depth needed to become rigorous, independent scientists. We directly train and mentor each person to become an expert in at least one major structural biology technique, such as cryo-EM or molecular dynamics, while building deep expertise in one or more complementary areas: protein chemistry of small GTPases, kinases, SLC transporters, or metabolic enzymes; chemical biology approaches for novel chemical probe discovery and proof-of-concept therapeutics; and cell biology approaches to tackle important mechanistic questions in cellular signaling and metabolism.
If this sounds like the kind of environment where you would do your best work, please contact Kacper directly. We are always glad to hear from motivated candidates, even when a specific opening is not currently advertised.
When you write, please include a few lines about yourself, your previous research experience, and what drew you to our lab. We would be happy to tell you more about potential projects, how we think about mentorship and scientific training, and how work in our lab can help you grow while contributing to research that connects fundamental biology to future therapeutic advances.
Postdoctoral and Clinical Fellows
We are always interested in hearing from highly driven candidates with expertise in structural biology, chemical biology, biochemistry, bioengineering, or cell biology.
Our mission is to help develop the next generation of scientific leaders in academia and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. We are especially interested in postdocs who aim to become assistant professors, principal investigators, or group leaders, and who want a training environment that will help them build the expertise, independence, and research program needed to be competitive for those positions.
Please send your CV, cover letter, and contact information to three reference writers. Compensation follows Stanford rates, and we strongly encourage candidates to apply to extramural fellowships and grants to support their research (see a comprehensive list here).
Depending on your circumstances, you may also be eligible for the following postdoctoral programs:
Re-entry and re-integration support for returning to an active research career — see the NIGMS webpages here.
Fellowships for postdocs from underrepresented backgrounds — see the list here.
We welcome graduate students from Stanford science and engineering programs, including PhD and MD-PhD trainees. If you are interested in joining Rogala Lab, we strongly encourage you to apply for external graduate fellowships, such as the NSF GRFP, at the same time that you apply to Stanford graduate programs.
Our lab is particularly well suited for graduate students who are ambitious, curious, collaborative, and excited to grow through feedback. We are especially interested in trainees drawn to protein chemistry, structural biology, chemical biology, and drug discovery, and who want to understand fundamental biological mechanisms while contributing to research with translational relevance in cancer.
In Rogala Lab, PhD students receive close mentorship and rigorous training designed to help them become independent scientists. We also expect students to apply for external fellowships after arriving at Stanford, as developing the ability to compete successfully for funding is an important part of scientific training and career development.
Please note: at Stanford, prospective PhD students apply to graduate programs, for example Stanford Biosciences Home Programs, and prospective MD-PhD students apply through the Stanford Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). Students then join individual labs through those programs rather than applying directly to a thesis lab. Before selecting a thesis lab, students typically rotate through several laboratories to find the scientific questions, mentoring style, and environment that fit them best. Rogala Lab is part of four Stanford Biosciences home programs: Cancer Biology, Chemical & Systems Biology, Structural Biology, and Biophysics. Students interested in working with us should apply through one of these programs, or through MSTP for MD-PhD training.
For a useful external list of graduate fellowship opportunities, see this compilation.
Visiting and Exchange PhD Students
We are happy to host visiting PhD students for part of their thesis research in collaboration with Rogala Lab. If your work relates to metabolism, cell growth, nutrient transport, or related areas of mechanistic cell biology, please contact Kacper to start the conversation. Primary requirement: you must be fully enrolled in a PhD program at your home institution.
Fulbright Scholars — Rogala Lab has partnered with the US Fulbright Commission to offer 10-month visiting studentships to doctoral students from Poland. These studentships are part of the Fulbright Junior Research Award program and are open for applications annually. Please visit the Fulbright Poland website for application instructions, and feel free to contact Kacper directly if you would like to learn more about this opportunity.
Master’s Students
We welcome Master’s students currently enrolled at American and international universities for thesis research projects. We ask for a minimum commitment of eight months so that students have enough time to build technical depth, develop momentum, and make a meaningful contribution to their project.
We are open to students from a broad range of science and engineering backgrounds, including biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, biophysics, biotechnology, bioengineering, chemistry, pharmacology, and bioinformatics, as well as related fields. Our lab is best suited for students who are motivated, dependable, intellectually engaged, and eager to improve through mentorship and feedback.
Master’s students in Rogala Lab are trained to become stronger experimental scientists who can think carefully about data, build confidence with advanced methods, and contribute meaningfully to an active research environment. We aim to provide a serious and rewarding research experience that helps students grow technically, scientifically, and professionally.
Please email Kacper directly and include your CV and contact information for one reference writer.
Postbaccalaureate Students
We welcome students applying through Stanford postbaccalaureate programs. Stanford offers the Stanford Medicine Post-Baccalaureate Experience In Research program. Candidates who are interested in joining Rogala Lab are welcome to reach out to Kacper in advance to discuss a possible endorsement for their application.
If you contact us about an endorsement, please include your CV, a short note about yourself, and a cover letter explaining what interests you about the research in Rogala Lab. Please also attach a half-page project idea describing a short project that you could see yourself pursuing in the lab.
Our lab is best suited for highly motivated postbacs who are preparing for future PhD training and want a research environment that is both demanding and supportive. We look for trainees who are ready to work hard, take ownership of their growth, seek feedback actively, and steadily build the habits and discipline needed for a successful research career. This opportunity is intended primarily for candidates pursuing a research-focused PhD path, rather than applicants whose main goal is MD training.
Postbacs in Rogala Lab are trained through a combination of direct mentorship, hands-on experimentation, and increasing responsibility. Time in the lab is typically split roughly 50/50 between leading a small independent project and supporting postdocs and senior PhD students as they move advanced projects forward, giving postbacs both ownership and exposure to how strong research teams operate.
Research Assistants
Research Assistants — Although Rogala Lab is primarily focused on training students and postdocs, we are open to hearing from candidates who are local to the San Francisco Bay Area and interested in working part-time in the lab for a two-year commitment. This opportunity is best suited for highly motivated individuals who are preparing for future PhD applications and want to build serious research experience in a rigorous, supportive, and mentorship-driven environment.
In this role, research assistants work part-time over a two-year period to support lab operations and ongoing projects, while developing a strong foundation for future PhD study. This position is especially well suited for candidates who are seriously considering a research-focused PhD path, rather than applicants primarily planning for MD training.
We are especially interested in candidates who are eager to grow scientifically, contribute meaningfully to the lab over time, and make the most of close mentorship and hands-on experience. If this sounds like a good fit, please reach out directly to Kacper and include your CV, a few lines about yourself, and a brief note about your long-term goals.
Undergraduate Students
We welcome Stanford undergraduate students to join our lab.
Our undergraduate training model is designed for students who are serious about research and are considering a future PhD. We are especially interested in students who want to commit to Rogala Lab over multiple years, so that they can build real depth, develop strong mentoring relationships, and grow into increasingly confident and capable scientists.
During the academic year, undergraduates work part-time with a mentor, typically a postdoctoral fellow or PhD student. During the summer, students work full-time and take responsibility for their own project, gaining the technical experience, confidence, and scientific maturity that come from sustained engagement and real ownership.
This opportunity is best suited for students who are excited by immersive research training and who want to build a strong foundation for future PhD study. It is generally not the best fit for students primarily seeking short-term research experience in preparation for MD applications.
Stanford undergraduates interested in summer funding for research in our lab may also wish to explore the Bio-X Undergraduate Research opportunities.
Interested undergraduate students should email Kacper directly.
High School Students
High school students — We do not currently have spots available for high school students in Rogala Lab.
Students interested in research opportunities at Stanford can explore high school programs offered through the University here.
