Trainers Directory

I research molecular mechanisms linking inflammation and thrombosis. 

Lalitha Nayak's Biography 

I investigate the interactions of pathogenic mycobacteria with host immune systems. Specifically, I research antibiotic resistance, pathogenesis, cell wall assembly and cell division control in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 

Liem Nguyen's Biography

Our lab studies platelet signaling and crosstalk with the immune system in thrombosis and cancer. More specifically, we focus on how proteases initiate intracellular signaling through protease activated receptors. We use structural biology, cell signaling, and animal models to uncover molecular mechanisms then verify these in vivo.

Marvin Nieman's Biography 

I research systems biology approaches to interactions of obesity, exercise, and cancer. 

Nora Nock's Biography 

Our lab is interested in understanding how viruses interact with their hosts to cause pathogenesis and disease. Our current work is aimed at elucidating herpesvirus-host interactions, with a particular focus on the human herpesvirus, cytomegalovirus (CMV). We are interested in how CMV usurps cellular processes to maintain long-term latency, drive reactivation given proper cues, and efficiently lytically replicate and spread.

Christine M. O'Connor's Biography 

Research in my lab is focused on understanding T cell differentiation and function within the tumor microenvironment with an emphasis on (1) the differentiation, in-situ localization, and spatial relationships between subsets of CD8 T cells and other immune markers in the tumor microenvironment; (2) the formation and role of tertiary lymphoid structures in antitumor immunity; (3) strategies to improve PD-1 targeted therapy for patients with cancer; and (4) identification of predictive biomarkers to improve patient selection and prognosis for cancer immunotherapy.

Rebecca Obeng's Biography 

I develop new tools for cancer immunotherapy including adoptive Natural Killer (NK) and CAR-T therapies. I also research mechanisms of drug resistance in leukemia and lymphoma, and understand mechanisms of NK cell cytotoxicity to improve NK therapy.

Reshmi Parameswaran

My research is in structure-function studies of rhodopsin, molecular mechanisms of retinal degeneration, and rhodopsin dysfunction in retinal disease. 

Paul Park's Biography 

Methods to stimulate regeneration of damaged or diseased neurons represents a major therapeutic goal for neurodegenerative diseases. Zebrafish have the capacity to regenerate lost neurons and our goal is to understand how the fish regenerates cells of the retina so that we can perhaps one day mimic the same process in order to restore vision. We will study retinal degeneration in zebrafish carrying mutations that lead to progressive neuronal degeneration and determine the role of microglia and Notch signaling in promoting neuronal regeneration.

Brian Perkins' Biography