Dalila C Pinto, PhD, is an Associate Professor at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, with joint appointments in Psychiatry and Genetics and Genomic Sciences. She holds affiliations with the Seaver Autism Center, Mindich Child Health Institute, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn Genomics Institute, and the PsychENCODE Consortium. Her research integrates genomics, transcriptomics, and bioinformatics to study neuropsychiatric disorders. Key focus areas include: Genetic architecture of autism, epilepsy, and schizophrenia Brain-specific gene regulation and proteomics De novo mutations and rare variants in neurodevelopmental disorders Computational frameworks for multi-omics data analysis Recent publication trends (2020-2024) highlight her work on brain proteomics in psychiatric disorders, epilepsy genetics, stem cell transcriptomics, and schizophrenia risk loci. Her team consistently contributes to large consortia like PsychENCODE and Epi25, emphasizing translational genomics. Dr. Pinto leads the Pinto Lab, which develops innovative genomic approaches to map disease mechanisms. The lab is based in the Hess Center for Science & Medicine and collaborates internationally to advance neuropsychiatric research.
Dr. Isla P. Garraway is a Professor and Director of Research in the Department of Urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She serves as an Attending Urologist at the Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System and is a Member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research. As a surgeon-scientist, Dr. Garraway leads a basic/translational science laboratory focused on characterizing molecular, cellular, and microenvironmental interactions associated with metastatic prostate cancer. Her research interests include prostate stem cells and development, epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in the prostate, functional biomarkers of prostate cancer progression and metastasis, prostate cancer health disparities, prostate cancer biorepositories, multi-omic platform analysis of lethal prostate cancer, digital image analysis applications in prostate cancer, and single cell sequencing of prostate tumor populations. Dr. Garraway's work particularly emphasizes understanding the etiologies of racial/ethnic disparities in prostate cancer. Dr. Garraway's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on prostate cancer genomics, tumor heterogeneity, therapeutic resistance mechanisms, and health disparities research. Her work spans basic molecular mechanisms of prostate cancer progression to clinical implementation of precision oncology approaches, particularly within veteran populations. She has led significant efforts in prostate cancer screening guidelines for Black men and research on metastatic progression mechanisms. Donald S. Coffey Career Development Award from Prostate Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award from Prostate Cancer Foundation Challenge Award from Prostate Cancer Foundation Super Doctors® Southern California, 2022-2025 2018 Los Angeles Magazine Top Doctors American Society of Clinical Investigators Outstanding Research Award 2004 Dr. Garraway has secured substantial research funding from the National Cancer Institute, Department of Defense, Veterans Health Administration, Prostate Cancer Foundation, and Jean Perkins Foundation. Her leadership extends to directing research efforts in the Precision Oncology Program for Cancer of the Prostate and ensuring equity within the Veterans Health Administration's role in the presidential Cancer Moonshot initiative. She also actively engages in community education about prostate cancer and early detection.
Dr. James Hicks serves as Professor of Research in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Southern California's Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and as Deputy Director of the Convergent Science Institute in Cancer (CSI-Cancer) at the USC Michelson Center. A pioneer in single cell genomics and translational cancer research, Dr. Hicks focuses on breast and prostate cancer through the development of high-content single cell assays to understand cancer's spatial and temporal evolution in the human body. Trained initially at the University of Oregon, Dr. Hicks built his career through research and faculty appointments at Cornell University and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory before joining USC in 2014. His groundbreaking work at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory enabled routine whole genome analysis of individual cells applied to solid tumor biopsies, establishing him as a leader in the field. At CSI-Cancer, his research expands to systemic diseases including cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes, addressing challenges of disease evolution under natural and therapeutic pressures. Dr. Hicks' research program represents a unique bridge between academic excellence and corporate entrepreneurship, with a proven track record of translating scientific discoveries into practical applications. His work on liquid biopsy technologies has positioned him at the forefront of cancer diagnostics, with over one hundred scientific papers and patents to his name, alongside multiple founded companies. The Convergent Science Institute under his deputy directorship integrates patient data, model systems, and high-content single cell analysis with advanced machine learning to translate clinical observations into mechanistic understanding of cancer dynamics across cellular, human, and population scales. Analysis of his recent publication record (2024-2025) reveals consistent innovation across multiple cancer types including breast, prostate, lung, pancreatic, and retinoblastoma. His research demonstrates sophisticated integration of single-cell analysis with liquid biopsy approaches, establishing new standards for cancer detection, monitoring treatment response, and understanding tumor heterogeneity. Notably, his work spans from fundamental genomic discoveries to clinical applications, with particular emphasis on developing more sensitive diagnostic methods and understanding the evolutionary dynamics that drive treatment resistance. As Deputy Director of CSI-Cancer, Dr. Hicks plays a critical role in advancing the institute's mission to enhance cancer patient care through convergent science that brings together researchers across disciplines. His leadership extends to the DoD-funded Convergent Science Cancer Consortium, which includes collaborations with Cedars-Sinai, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and Stanford University, demonstrating his significant impact on the broader cancer research community.
Claudio Isella serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Oncology at the University of Torino's School of Medicine. His research focuses on molecular oncology, cancer genomics, and precision medicine approaches to gastrointestinal cancers. Department of Oncology, University of Torino Member of Department Council Member of Commissione per la Ricerca PhD program involvement in Complex Systems for Quantitative Biomedicine Dr. Isella's research interests center on cancer genomics, molecular oncology, and precision medicine with particular emphasis on colorectal cancer, patient-derived xenografts (PDX), and transcriptomics. His work integrates computational biology approaches with experimental models to understand cancer biology and identify therapeutic vulnerabilities. He has made significant contributions to understanding tumor evolution, drug resistance mechanisms, and biomarker discovery for precision oncology applications. Analysis of Dr. Isella's recent publications reveals a strong focus on patient-derived xenograft models for cancer research, molecular subtyping of gastrointestinal malignancies, and identification of therapeutic targets through genomic and transcriptomic approaches. His work spans colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, and other solid tumors with emphasis on translating molecular findings into clinically relevant insights for precision medicine applications. Dr. Isella teaches courses including Histology (INT0652), Multi-omics and Data Science for Precision Medicine (ONC0260), and Artificial Intelligence for Biomedicine and Healthcare. His teaching integrates molecular biology with computational approaches reflecting his research expertise.
Andrew Joseph Schork is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. His research focuses on the genetic basis of psychiatric disorders and mental health conditions, utilizing large-scale genomic and population studies to understand the complex interplay between genetic factors and mental health outcomes. Dr. Schork's research interests span several key areas in psychiatric and neurogenetics: Psychiatric Genetics - investigating the genetic architecture of mental health disorders Population Genetics - examining genetic variations across different populations Genomic Medicine - applying genetic findings to improve mental health diagnosis and treatment Statistical Genetics - developing and applying methods to analyze complex genetic data Neurogenetics - exploring the genetic basis of neurological and psychiatric conditions Mental Health Epidemiology - studying the distribution and determinants of mental health conditions in populations His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on understanding the genetic underpinnings of psychiatric disorders through large-scale genomic studies. Dr. Schork's work often involves international collaborations and utilizes advanced statistical methods to analyze complex genetic data from population cohorts. His research bridges the gap between basic genetic discoveries and clinical applications in mental health, with particular attention to depression, ADHD, and other psychiatric conditions. Many of his studies examine how genetic factors interact with environmental influences to shape mental health outcomes across the lifespan. Dr. Schork is actively involved in several major research consortia including the DBDS Genetic Consortium and iPSYCH Investigators, which are large-scale collaborative efforts focused on understanding the genetic basis of psychiatric disorders. His work has been widely recognized, with multiple publications in high-impact journals such as Nature, Cell, and Nature Mental Health, and has received significant attention from news outlets and academic platforms.
Fran Supek is a Professor at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, where he leads the Genome Data Science laboratory at the Biotech Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC). He also maintains a research group at the IRB Barcelona. Supek is the Principal Investigator of ERC Starting and ERC Consolidator projects, an EMBO Young Investigator, and holds an ICREA tenured professor position (currently on leave). Dr. Supek obtained his PhD in Molecular Biology in 2010 from the University of Zagreb, followed by postdoctoral training at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) as a Marie Curie fellow. He established his independent laboratory at IRB Barcelona in 2017 as a "Ramón y Cajal" tenure-track fellow, and expanded to BRIC in 2024. His research focuses on statistical genomics and machine learning approaches to study genome stability mechanisms, particularly through analysis of mutation patterns in cancer. The Genome Data Science lab performs large-scale bioinformatic studies of multi-omic data from human tumors, populations, and metagenomes. Key research areas include DNA repair mechanisms, mRNA synthesis and turnover pathways, genetic interactions in cancer genomes, and machine learning approaches for inferring gene function from genomic data. Analysis of Supek's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on cancer genomics, with particular focus on mutational signatures, DNA repair deficiencies, and the application of artificial intelligence to genomic data analysis. His work spans from fundamental mechanisms of genome instability to translational applications in cancer diagnosis and treatment. ERC Starting Grant recipient ERC Consolidator Grant recipient EMBO Young Investigator ICREA tenured professor (on leave) As Principal Investigator of multiple ERC projects, Supek leads a research program with significant funding for innovative genomic research. His laboratory at BRIC and IRB Barcelona conducts interdisciplinary research combining computational approaches with experimental validation to address fundamental questions in genome biology and cancer evolution. The Genome Data Science lab maintains active collaborations across multiple institutions, with research spanning statistical genomics, machine learning applications in bioinformatics, and experimental validation of computational predictions in cancer biology.
