Postdoctoral Researcher · Neuroepigenetics

Audrey
Moran
Goldfarb

University of Pennsylvania · Perelman School of Medicine

I study epigenetic risk factors of neurodevelopmental disorders in the Korb lab at UPenn. My scientific training spans telomere biology, genome integrity, aging and cancer biology, and neuroepigenetics. I am passionate about science communication, teaching, and mentorship. I'm always excited to connect and collaborate with others interested in these topics.

Hartwell Fellow NSF GRFP Astronaut Scholar Goldwater Scholar
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Audrey Moran Goldfarb
About

Biology, writing, and
a lot of curiosity

6+
Publications
9
Years Science Writing
50+
Newsletter Contributors Led
4
Major Fellowships

I'm a Hartwell Postdoctoral Fellow and Lurie Autism Institute Next Gen Program in Autism Bioscience Fellow in the lab of Dr. Erica Korb at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, where I'm studying epigenetic risk factors of neurodevelopmental disorders.

I completed my Ph.D. at The Rockefeller University in the lab of Dr. Titia de Lange, where I studied how the shelterin protein TRF2 forms t-loops to protect chromosome ends — work that is currently in revision at Science. Along the way, I had the opportunity to contribute to projects spanning Fanconi anemia, COVID diagnostics, and the biology of aging.

Before my Ph.D., I earned a B.A. in Biology with a Minor in Journalism from the University of Rochester (GPA 3.97), where I first became passionate about the intersection of rigorous science and accessible storytelling.

I've been writing about science for about nine years — including reviving and leading Natural Selections and writing for the Dana Foundation. Mentorship and community-building have also been important to me throughout my training; I co-founded Rockefeller's peer mentorship program and have learned as much from those experiences as from the bench.

Neuroepigenetics Neurodevelopmental Disorders Telomere Biology Genomic Integrity Aging Science Writing Mentorship DEI
Research

What I'm working on and thinking about

🧠
Epigenetic Risk in Neurodevelopment

In the Korb lab at UPenn, I'm exploring how epigenetic mechanisms contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders — questions about how chromatin regulation shapes brain development that I find genuinely fascinating.

Telomere End Protection

My Ph.D. work focused on understanding how TRF2 forms t-loops at chromosome ends to prevent unwanted DNA damage signaling — a question that turned out to have some satisfying answers, now in revision at Science.

🧬
Fanconi Anemia & Genomic Stability

As a rotation student, I contributed to a large collaborative study on Fanconi anemia and copy number variation in squamous cell carcinomas, published in Nature (2022).

🐭
Longevity & Cancer Resistance

As an undergraduate in the Gorbunova-Seluanov lab, I worked on characterizing SIRT6 across species — and was lucky to see that work contribute to a Cell paper on longevity and DNA repair.

🌐
Chromatin & Epigenome

I'm broadly interested in how the epigenome shapes gene expression and cell identity — from histone modifications to genome-wide chromatin organization.

✍️
Science Communication

I care a lot about science communication — partly because I think it matters, and partly because I just enjoy it. I write for both scientific and general audiences and am always looking to improve.

Publications

Selected publications

2024
In revision
Goldfarb A*, Sasi N*, Dilgen T, Cai S, Myler L, de Lange T. Tetrameric TRF2 forms t-loop to protect telomeres from ATM signaling and cNHEJ.
bioRxiv · In revision at Science
bioRxiv ↗
2025
Jung M, Ilyashow I, Park Y, Donovan F, …, Goldfarb A, … Smogorzewska A. A Novel Source of Endogenous DNA Damage That Requires Repair By the Fanconi Anemia Pathway.
Journal of Cell Biology
JCB ↗
2022
Webster A, Sanders M, Patel K, …, Goldfarb A, …, Smogorzewska A. Fanconi Anemia Pathway Deficiency Drives Copy Number Variation in Squamous Cell Carcinomas.
Nature
Nature ↗
2021
Frank MO, Blachere NE, Parveen S, …, Goldfarb A, …, Darnell RB. DRUL for School: Opening Pre-K with safe, simple, sensitive saliva testing for SARS-CoV-2.
PLOS ONE
PLOS ONE ↗
2019
Tian X, Firsanov D, Zhang Z, …, Goldfarb A, …, Gorbunova V, Seluanov A. SIRT6 Is Responsible for More Efficient DNA Double-Strand Break Repair in Long-Lived Species.
Cell 177, 622–638
Cell ↗
In prep
Kramer F, Millen J, Farre J-C, Goldfarb A, …, Goldfarb D. Conservation of nucleus-vacuole membrane contact sites among divergent budding yeast.
Manuscript in preparation
In Prep
Awards & Fellowships

Fellowships & awards

2025–27
Hartwell Postdoctoral Fellowship
The Hartwell Foundation
2025–27
Lurie Autism Institute Next Gen Program in Autism Bioscience Fellow
University of Pennsylvania
2023–25
Lachman Graduate Fellowship
The Rockefeller University
2020–23
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP)
National Science Foundation
2019–25
Women & Science Graduate Fellowship
The Rockefeller University
2018
Astronaut Scholar
Astronaut Scholarship Foundation
2018
Barry Goldwater Scholar
Barry Goldwater Scholarship & Excellence in Education Foundation
2019
Janet Howell Clark Prize · Grace McCormack Fund Prize
University of Rochester Biology Department
Science Communication

Nine years of science writing

I've been writing about science since college, across outlets ranging from university newsletters to national organizations. I currently write for the Dana Foundation and previously revived and led Natural Selections — a newsletter I expanded to include Weill Cornell and Memorial Sloan Kettering, with a volunteer staff of 50+. It's been one of the most rewarding parts of my training.

Dana Foundation
A Community-Based Approach to Science Outreach
2025
Natural Selections
Healing The Mind and Body: Insights into Complementary and Alternative Healthcare
2024
Natural Selections
Jeanne Garbarino's Ecosystem of Outreach
2024
Fancy Comma
Science Reporting Needs Less Hype, More Analysis
2023
RockEDU — The Incubator
When It Comes to Toilet Aerosols, Seeing is Believing
2023
American Bird Conservancy
On a Mission to Save the Tricolored Blackbird + 3 other features
2016
Leadership & Service

Service & community

2023 – 2025
Organization Committee Chair — Anderson Cancer Symposium
The Rockefeller University

Selected and invited world leaders in cancer research; recruited and led a postdoc/student committee; facilitated the full-day symposium including a 40-poster competition for 250+ attendees.

2020 – 2024
Co-Founder & Organizer — Peer Advisor Program
The Rockefeller University

Founded during COVID to match every incoming student with a peer advisor. Grew into a permanent program with a comprehensive student handbook, networking events, and a Slack community that continues to serve new students.

2022 – 2023
Coordinator & Host — Friday Lecture Series Student Lunch
The Rockefeller University

Coordinated and moderated weekly discussions between students and international scientific speakers; served as student representative on the university-wide speaker selection committee.

2020 – 2022
Committee Member — DEIJ Lecture Series
The Rockefeller University

Recruited and hosted experts on diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice; organized discussion groups and advertised a virtual lecture series open to the wider community.

2020 – present
Member — Sustainability Committee
The Rockefeller University

Student representative on the university-wide committee to reduce Rockefeller's environmental footprint — initiating policy changes across departments.

2022 – 2023
Webmaster — Women in Science at Rockefeller (WISeR)
The Rockefeller University

Served as a board member and designed WISeR's website.

Teaching & Mentorship

Sharing science, paying it forward

Mentor — The Meliora Collective
University of Rochester
September 2025 – present

I mentor two undergraduates per semester, meeting bi-weekly to offer guidance on research applications, CV and LinkedIn development, science communication, networking, and career exploration.

Rotation Student Mentor
de Lange Lab, The Rockefeller University
2020 – 2025

During my PhD, I mentored two rotation students through their lab rotations — introducing them to techniques in telomere biology, helping them design and troubleshoot experiments, and supporting their transition into independent graduate research.

Mentor — RockEDU
The Rockefeller University
February 2020 & July 2024

Taught basic laboratory techniques to high school students, delivered lectures on molecular biology, led science communication workshops, and mentored a research assistant through the graduate school application process via RockEDU's Advocate program.

Preparing for College Teaching in STEM
Professional Development Course
February – April 2026

A 10-week intensive focused on inclusive course design, active learning techniques, and diverse assessment strategies — deepening my preparation for a future in academic teaching.

Peer Advisor — Biology Department
University of Rochester
2018 – 2019

Advised undergraduate biology students on course selection, research opportunities, and academic planning.

Weekly Tutor — Refugee Students
Rochester, NY
March 2017 – June 2019

Provided weekly tutoring in math, science, and English to refugee students in the Rochester community — one of the most meaningful commitments of my undergraduate years.

Teaching Assistantships — University of Rochester
Jan – May 2019
Eukaryotic Gene Regulation
University of Rochester
Aug – Dec 2018
Biology of Aging
University of Rochester
Jan – May 2018
Introduction to Biochemistry (Honors)
University of Rochester
Aug – Dec 2017
Principles of Genetics
University of Rochester
Dec 2015 – June 2019
Biology Laboratory — Community Outreach Program
University of Rochester
Contact

Let's connect

Email [email protected] LinkedIn /in/audrey-moran-goldfarb Previous Lab de Lange Lab, Rockefeller University Korb Lab korblab.com
I'm always happy to connect — whether about science, writing, mentorship, or potential collaborations. Feel free to reach out!