Trainers Directory

The Panicker lab investigates the molecular mechanisms that drive pathology in Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), Parkinson’s Disease (PD), and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), with the eventual goal of developing therapeutics that block or slow disease progression. We study cell-death pathways in neurodegenerative diseases, and how neuroinflammation (primarily mediated by microglial cells in the brain) contributes to the pathogenesis of neurologic disorders.

Nikhil Panicker'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 

I research molecular mechanisms of neural circuit assembly during development, genetic control of phrenic motor neuron identity; synaptic specificity in respiratory circuits; Hox genes.

Polyxeni (Pola) Philippidou's Biography

Neuropsychiatry with particular focus on neurodegeneration in disease, injury, and aging; translational basic science leading to new therapies for patients. 

Andrew Pieper's Biography 

Studies of cholesterol maintenance in the retina and brain to delineate the importance of cholesterol-related pathways for retinal and brain functions and whether pharmacologic modulation of these pathways could lead to disease-modifying treatments for retinal and brain disorders.

Irina Pikuleva's Biography 

I focus on basic and translational research in gut mucosal immunity, including IBD and colitis-associated cancer. I also research sex differences and impact of microbiome in IBD and basic cytokine biology, particularly of IL-1 family members. 

Theresa Pizarro's Biography 

I research altered mitochondrial quality control and metabolic dysregulation in neurodegenerative disease - Huntington's, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and develop therapeutics for these diseases. 

Xin Qi's Biography 

I research molecular mechanisms of membrane remodeling, fission and fusion in synaptic vesicle endocytosis and mitochondrial dynamics.

Rajesh Ramachandran's Biography