Current Ph.D. Students
Ross Giglio
- Ross plans to rotate in labs studying novel cancer mechanisms and therapeutics through genetic, epigenetic, and immunology lenses.
Emily Cambre
- Emily is working on a translational rodent model of SSRI resistance to understand mechanistic differences between antidepressant pharmacotherapies and determine their unique neurophysiological and behavioral impacts on reward processing.
Emily Cambre is a member of the Dr. Sarah Canetta Lab.
Tarik Zahr
- Tarik studies the effects of antibody deposition in metabolically active tissues on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and NASH.
Tarik Zahr is a member of the Dr. Li Qiang Lab.
Jennifer Green
- Jennifer is interested in studying the involvement of the immune system in neurodegenerative disorders and identifying potential therapeutic targets.
Jennifer Green is a member of the Dr. Elizabeth Bradshaw Lab.
Highlights: Moderating a session on Target Therapies at the 2021 Alzheimer's Association APOE and Immunity virtual conference; Presenting a poster entitled "Inhibition of CD33-sialic binding in Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease"
Alec Kittredge
- Alec studies the structure-function relationships of a family of calcium-activated chloride channels called Bestrophins, which are expressed in the eyes and can cause a genetically inherited form of macular degeneration.
Alec Kittredge is a member of the Dr. Tingting Yang Lab.
Highlights: First-authorship publication in Methods in Enzymology, "Evaluating BEST1 mutations in pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells" and publication in eLife "Distinct expression requirements and rescue strategies for BEST1 loss- and gain-of-function mutations"
Daniel Ross
- Daniel's research approach centers on investigating synthetic lethal approaches to treat pancreatic cancer by targeting cysteine metabolism and inducing ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death.
Daniel Ross is a member of the Dr. Ken Olive Lab.
Highlights: Publication in Cell during his rotation in the Mancia Lab, "Structural Basis of WLS/Evi-Mediated Wnt Transport and Secretion"; NSF Honorable Mention
Andreacarola Urso
- Andreacarola's work focuses on immunometabolism as a bridge in the host-pathogen interaction in pulmonary infections.
Andreacarola Urso is a member of the Dr. Alice Prince Lab.
Highlights: Awarded a National Science Foundation GRFP Fellowship in April of 2021
Xiangyi (Sherry) Ke
- Sherry's research interest is in the developmental signaling of lung formation and pulmonary diseases.
Sherry Ke is a member of the Dr. Wellington Cardoso Lab.
Highlights: Currently using single-cell RNA sequencing and combinatorial computational approach to elucidate how specific gene regulatory networks control the formation of the lung primordium, airway branching, and differentiation, and ultimately of lung regeneration and injury repair.
Urszula Wasko
- Urszula's current thesis project involves researching a two drug combination as a potential treatment approach for pancreatic cancer. In her research, Urszula uses a variety of genetically engineered mouse models, xenograft models and 2D cultures.
Urszula Wasko is a member of the Dr. Ken Olive Lab.
Nicole Aaron
- Nicole's research focuses on the development and regulation of adipocytes and the role that they play in conditions such as obesity, diabetes, NASH, and aging.
Nikki Aaron is a member of the Dr. Li Qiang Lab.
Highlights: Publication in eLife, "Adipsin promotes bone marrow adiposity by priming mesenchymal stem cells"
Ariana Gavin
- Ariana studies the molecular physiology of cardiac regulation. She focuses on the Rad protein, trying to further understand the mechanism of its inhibitory action on Cav1.2.
Ariana Gavin is a member of the Dr. Henry Colecraft Lab.
Cory Langreck
- Cory's research is focused on interactions between the mu opioid and NMDA receptors, and how these interactions may influence behavior in the contexts of stress and antidepressant treatment.
Cory Langreck is a member of the Dr. Jonathan Javitch Lab.
Highlights: Publications in ACS Central Science, "7-Hydroxymitragynine Is an Active Metabolite of Mitragynine and a Key Mediator of Its Analgesic Effects" and Neuropsychopharmacology, "Mu Opioid Receptors on Hippocampal GABAergic Interneurons are Critical for the Antidepressant Effects of Tianeptine"
Caroline Rauffenbart
- Caroline is interested in understanding how dopamine receptor signaling gives rise to reward processes and motivated behaviors.
Caroline Rauffenbart is a member of the Dr. Jonathan Javitch Lab.
Highlights: Recipient of the Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Phuc (Leo) Vo
- Leo's research interests include developing and using new CRISPR-Cas and gene editing technologies, to engineer genomes of bacterial and mammalian cells.
Leo Vo is a member of the Dr. Sam Sternberg Lab.
Highlights: First-authorship publications in Nature Biotechnology, "CRISPR RNA-guided integrases for high-efficiency, multiplexed bacterial genome engineering" and Mobile DNA, "Unbiased profiling of CRISPR RNA-guided transposition products by long-read sequencing"
Ramsey Bekdash
- Ramsey's work pertains to metabolite biosensor development and drug repurposing studies for cardiac arrhythmias in Dr. Masayuki Yazawa's laboratory.
Ramsey Bekdash is a member of the Dr. Masayuki Yazawa Lab.
Highlights: First-authorship publications in ScienceDirect, "Timothy syndrome iPSC modeling" and The Journal of Physiology, "The envelope protein of SARS-CoV-2 increases intra-Golgi pH and forms a cation channel that is regulated by pH" and publication in Nature Communications, "Photoactivatable Cre recombinase 3.0 for in vivo mouse applications"
Alan Burke
- Alan is researching a potential new type of bispecific protein, utilizing a heterodimer-forming scaffold, to facilitate clearance of acute myeloid leukemia by cytotoxic T-cells.
Alan Burke is a member of the Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee Lab.
Dallin Dressman
- Dallin is currently studying the role of T cells in Alzheimer's disease, and how genetic variation in T cells may alter the progression of neurodegeneration.
Dallin Dressman is a member of the Dr. Wassim Elyaman Lab.
Highlights: Recently accepted into TL1 doctoral student training program at Columbia.
Anna Potenski
- Anna is studying non-apoptotic endothelial caspase-9 signaling after retinal vein occlusion and how vascular injury leads to neuronal death. Her goal is to identify different substrates in the mechanism that can be targeted for therapeutic intervention.
Anna Potenski is a member of the Dr. Carol Troy Lab.
Highlights: First author publication in Jove, "Optimization of the Retinal Vein Occlusion Mouse Model to Limit Variability"
Jacob Daniels
- Jacob is investigating and testing small molecule therapeutics for neurodegeneration and cancer.
Jacob Daniels is a member of the Dr. Brent Stockwell Lab.
Daniel Lowes
- Daniel is working in the lab of Alexander Harris to study the effects of stress on neural circuits underlying reward processing using in vivo electrophysiology and optogenetics.
Daniel Lowes is a member of the Dr. Alexander Harris Lab.
Highlights: First-authorship publication in Nature Communications, "Ventral tegmental area GABA neurons mediate stress-induced blunted reward-seeking in mice"
Aaron Owji
- For his thesis, Aaron is using single-particle cryogenic electron microscopy (CryoEM) to dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying the function of mammalian bestrophins, a family of calcium-activated anion channels important in eye physiology.
Aaron Owji is a member of the Dr. Wayne Hendrickson Lab.
Highlights: First-authorship publication in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, "Structural and functional characterization of the bestrophin-2 anion channel"
Tamara Zeric
- Tamara's thesis work involves characterizing a sensitive adolescent period of development, during which systemic pharmacological administration of antidepressants or stimulants can lead to long-lasting impacts on cocaine reward processing in adulthood.
Tamara Zeric is a member of the Dr. Mark Ansorge Lab.
Highlights: Current Senior Quality Control Fellow for the Columbia Technology Ventures (CTV) Fellows Program tasked with reviewing and managing all early-stage technology assessments
