Rose got started in science studying the roles of ATP binding cassette transporters in sea urchin embryogenesis with Dr. Amro Hamdoun at Scripps Institution of Oceanography during undergraduate at UC San Diego. Rose channeled this love of transmembrane proteins and cellular physiology into a Ph.D. with Diana Bautista at UC Berkeley, where they worked on itch and pain transduction mechanisms in peripheral sensory neurons. As a Helen Hay Whitney and later K99 fellow with Ardem Patapoutian at Scripps Research, Rose asked how mechanical force sensing via PIEZO ion channels contributes to animal behavior and physiology. She became a kidney biologist “by accident”, the happiest one yet, and now acknowledges it is the best organ. While simultaneously thinking about how DRG neurons and kidneys talk to each other, Rose enjoys yoga, cat parenthood, music, spa day, and spending time in nature.

@rose-hill.bsky.social

Janelle studied astrocytes in chronic pain as a Ph.D. student in Neuroscience at Stanford University. Prior to grad school, she earned her B.S. in Biology at California State University, San Bernardino, where she studied alligator locomotion and eggshells. She is thrilled to be entering the interoception field and began her postdoctoral work in the Hill Lab in Summer 2025! Outside of lab, Janelle enjoys teaching, reading, and being silly with her toddler. Janelle was formerly an OFDIR and OCTRI TL1 Postdoctoral Fellow at OHSU.

@sili-j.bsky.social

Lily graduated from Lewis & Clark College with a double major in Biology and Psychology. She earned honors through her thesis research with Dr. Tamily Weissman-Unni investigating alpha-synuclein mobility in zebrafish neurons at various developmental stages in vivo to better understand the progression of neuronal protein aggregation. Upon graduating, Lily joined Dr. Rose Hill at OHSU, where she was awarded a PROPEL postbaccalaureate scholarship. Now as a Senior Research Assistant in the Hill Lab, she is fascinated by the complexities of the nervous system and currently studies the morphology of nerves in the mouse renal system. Lily also manages the mini-mammals of the lab. Outside of research, Lily enjoys creating art with her family and friends, going on outdoor adventures, and snowboarding.

Taylor is a first year Ph.D. student in Vollum Institute's Neuroscience Graduate program (NGP). Prior to joining the lab, Taylor completed their M.S. degree at Washington State University Vancouver in the lab of Dr. Cynthia Cooper studying developmental effects of oculocutaneous albinism type 2 in a zebrafish model. Taylor's undergraduate research was in microbial ecology at California Polytechnic University Humboldt, where they studied the metabolic processes of microbes living in carnivorous pitcher plants. When not in the lab, Taylor enjoys baking, playing music, gardening and spoiling her two rescue cats.

Octavio is a PhD student in the Program in Biomedical Sciences at OHSU. Before joining the Hill Lab, his research focused on understanding the functional consequences of genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. At UCSF, he studied autism-associated genes using genomic and proteomic approaches and later worked with iPSCs, using CRISPR-based genome engineering. Now, Octavio has traded the brain for the kidney—sort of. His research in the Hill Lab explores how the nervous and immune systems communicate during kidney injury. Outside the lab, Octavio can usually be found at the gym, reading, watching movies, playing video games, or searching for his next coffee shop

When she is not chomping on a piece of plastic or chasing Coco, Momo enjoys being whistled at.

Coco facilitates the day-to-day operations of the Hill laboratory.