Orry Elor, MS

As a G4 student in the Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics (PSPG) Ph.D. program, I am interested in researching the less understood non-coding regions of DNA, the dark genome. These regions of DNA are one of the final frontiers in unraveling human biology and curing disease. Research over the last decade revealed that targets within non-coding elements can fine-tune gene expression in both specific and pleiotropic ways. Through leveraging the multidisciplinary and highly collaborative environment at UCSF, I aim to discover regulatory elements within the dark genome that govern cell fate.

Before joining the McManus lab, I completed a B.S at Northern Michigan University, where I had my first exposure to research at the Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center. I studied how conjugating perioperative drugs to scorpion venom may improve uptake in glioblastoma multiforme cells. Following this, I completed an M.S. at San Francisco State University as a California Institute for Regenerative Medicine fellow. I examined human accelerated regions in an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived human and chimp model following a massively parallel reporter assay. Additionally, I worked on developing an iPSC-derived human airway smooth muscle cell model to study drug interactions in asthma. Building upon my prior experiences, I am now in the McManus Lab, utilizing a CRISPR screen to investigate embryonic stem cell fate. Targets identified may have applications in regenerative medicine and personalized therapeutics.

In addition to my academic tenure before UCSF, I competed for the New York Athletic Club in Greco-Roman wrestling and earned All-American status by placing 4th at the 2016 Olympic Team Trials. I enjoy hiking in nature, powerlifting, cooking, reading, and coaching in my time away from the lab. I love most foods that start with the letter b, including bacon, babka, beignets, baklava, and boba.