{title:`Meet the Team`,anchor:`TeamList`,placeholder:null,icon:{src:`/en-us/-/media/nebus/page-images/research-labs/menu-icons/research_icon_team.svg?rev=73efe93f0bba49709f657e78215ed5b0&hash=F698DC7DB644D50105D8C2F7E411E0DA`,alt:`Research_Icon_Team`},teamList:[{memberDescription:`Kelly started at New England Biolabs in 2014 as a Post Doctoral Fellow in Andrew Gardner’s group studying DNA replication and DNA repair mechanisms in hyperthermophilic Archaea. Kelly’s love of DNA modifying enzymes stems from her graduate work in which she delved into the molecular mechanism of DNA base excision repair enzymes.
Kelly is now leading her own research group at NEB, which focuses on understanding nucleic acid maintenance pathways in extremophilic Archaea. She especially has a passion for determining how enzymes function at a molecular level and for communicating her research to others. Outside of the lab, Kelly enjoys time with family and friends and being outdoors.
`,memberName:`Kelly M. Zatopek`,memberTitle:`Senior Principal Investigator`,mediaSrc:`https://media.neb.com/m/6d2ddaf168f33c3d/webimage-KellyZatopek_HS.png`,memberEducation:`B.Sc., Quinnipiac University, USA, 2006
Ph.D., Brown University, USA, 2014
`,memberLink:{text:`linkedin.com/in/kzatopek`,url:`https://www.linkedin.com/in/kzatopek/`,target:`_blank`}},{memberDescription:`After graduating from high school in Colombia, Leo moved to France to pursue his studies. Leo started at New England Biolabs as a Master’s student in 2020 in the Gardner lab studying new ways of utilizing next generation sequencing (NGS) to study DNA repair. In 2021, he started his Ph.D. program in structural biology and biochemistry at NEB, Pasteur Institute, and Sorbonne University. Currently he studies the structural and molecular mechanisms that determine DNA polymerase fidelity and recognition of damaged bases.
Leo has lived in five countries and speaks Spanish, English, French and German. In his free time, He likes to try new types of wine, learn new recipes, play volleyball and try new crochet patterns.
`,memberName:`Leonardo Betancurt`,memberTitle:`Postdoctoral Fellow`,mediaSrc:`https://media.neb.com/m/24e44f829cb2ccde/webimage-LeonardoBetancurt_HS.png`,memberEducation:`Ph.D., Sorbonne Université, France, 2024
M.Sc. & M.Eng. École Supérieure de Biotechnologie, France, 2020
B.Sc., Claude Bernard University, France, 2017
`,memberLink:{text:`linkedin.com/leonardo-betancurt`,url:`https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonardo-betancurt/`,target:`_blank`}},{memberDescription:`Michael started as a Research Scientist in the Zatopek lab in March 2024 following his postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. His postdoctoral work involved using structural and biochemical approaches to study the molecular mechanisms of substrate recognition and unwinding of G-quadruplexes by helicases. Outside the lab, Michael enjoys spending time with his family, exploring new restaurants, and experimenting with new food recipes.`,memberName:`Michael Banco`,memberTitle:`Research Scientist`,mediaSrc:`https://media.neb.com/m/45e28463fe3a07f5/webimage-MikeBanco_HS.png`,memberEducation:`B.Sc., University of Michigan, USA, 2013
Ph.D., University of Toledo, USA, 2018
`,memberLink:{text:`www.linkedin.com/in/michael-banco`,url:`https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-banco-36b4ab201/`,target:`_blank`}}],moreLink:{text:`Meet the Team & Alumni`,url:`/en-us/research-labs/zatopek-lab/meet-the-team`,target:null}}

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