Serkan Kır is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Koç University, Turkey. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer cachexia, muscle wasting, and metabolic dysregulation in tumor-host interactions. Education: PhD, UT Southwestern Medical Center (2011) Bachelor’s, Bilkent University (2006) His work investigates: Role of interleukin-6 family cytokines in muscle degradation EDA2R-NIK signaling in skeletal muscle pathophysiology Tumor-derived ligands regulating MEK activation Adipose tissue thermogenesis and fibroblast growth factors PTHrP and EGFR interactions in cachexia models Recent publications highlight advancements in targeting metabolic reprogramming and signaling pathways for cachexia therapies. Key article trends include cancer metabolism, muscle physiology, and cytokine-driven wasting mechanisms.
Professor Alexander van Oudenaarden is a distinguished academic at Utrecht University, where he serves as Professor in the Faculty of Science, specifically within the Developmental Biology department. His research program focuses on cutting-edge approaches in developmental biology, stem cell research, and organoid technology. Dr. van Oudenaarden's research interests span multiple areas of developmental and cellular biology. He is particularly known for his work on stem cell systems, organoid development, and spatial transcriptomics. His laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding embryonic development through stem cell models, cancer therapy applications using organoids, and sex-specific gene expression patterns. His approach often combines quantitative methods with biological systems to uncover fundamental principles of development and disease. His publication record demonstrates significant impact, with multiple high-profile papers in journals such as Nature, Cell, and Nature Genetics. His 2018 paper on blastocyst-like structures generated from stem cells has been particularly influential, garnering over 386 citations and receiving attention from 35 news outlets. The research has implications for understanding early embryonic development and potential regenerative medicine applications. LifeTime and improving European healthcare through cell-based interceptive medicine (2020) - Highly cited review with over 121 citations Blastocyst-like structures generated solely from stem cells (2018) - Landmark paper with 386 citations Oral mucosal organoids as a potential platform for personalized cancer therapy (2019) - Significant contribution to cancer research with 294 citations Professor van Oudenaarden leads a research group focused on developmental dynamics and biocomplexity. His team employs advanced techniques including single-cell analysis, spatial transcriptomics, and organoid culture systems to address fundamental questions in developmental biology and their applications to human health. The group has established collaborations across Europe and maintains strong ties with clinical researchers to translate basic findings into potential therapeutic approaches.
Marina Sirota is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine and the Acting Director at the Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute. She leads the UCSF March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center and co-directs ENACT, a center focused on precision medicine for endometriosis. Dr. Sirota is also the founding director of the AI4ALL program at UCSF, which introduces high school girls to AI applications in biomedicine. Education: B.S. in Biomedical Computation, Stanford University (2006) M.S. in Biomedical Informatics, Stanford University (2006) Ph.D. in Biomedical Informatics, Stanford University (2010) Dr. Sirota's research focuses on developing computational integrative methods for disease diagnostics and therapeutics, with special emphasis on women's health. Her work spans biomedical informatics, integrative genomics, clinical data analysis, immune informatics, and data science. She applies advanced computational approaches to understand complex biological systems and translate findings into clinical applications, particularly in the areas of preterm birth, endometriosis, and Alzheimer's disease. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on precision medicine applications across multiple disease areas including women's health, neurodegenerative disorders, and immunology. Dr. Sirota frequently employs cutting-edge techniques like single-cell genomics, transcriptomics, and AI-driven approaches to analyze complex biological data. Her research shows particular strength in sex-specific analyses and the application of computational methods to understand disease heterogeneity. Scientific Awards: AMIA Young Investigator Award (2017) Dr. Sirota has secured significant research funding from multiple sources including NIA, NLM, NIAMS, Pfizer, March of Dimes, and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Her current projects include studies on endometriosis, preterm birth, Alzheimer's disease, and immune-related disorders. She mentors numerous students and researchers in computational health sciences and has co-authored over 170 scientific publications. Her laboratory actively collaborates with clinical and basic science researchers across UCSF and other institutions. Dr. Sirota directs the Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute at UCSF and leads multiple research centers focused on women's health, including the March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center and ENACT (Endometriosis: Novel Clinical Approaches Through Technology). Her team combines expertise in bioinformatics, machine learning, clinical medicine, and basic science to advance precision medicine approaches for complex diseases.
Dr. Tomokazu S Sumida is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Yale University School of Medicine, where he leads the Sumida Lab. His research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that drive T cell dysfunction, particularly regulatory T cells (Tregs), in human diseases. His work utilizes cutting-edge technologies including single-cell multi-omics, ATAC-seq, and CRISPR gene editing/regulation to investigate immune tolerance and dysfunction in autoimmune diseases. Dr. Sumida received his MD from Chiba University School of Medicine in Japan in 2004, completed residency and cardiology fellowship in Japan, and practiced as a cardiologist before obtaining his PhD in 2012 studying the interface between the immune system and cardiovascular disease. He joined Yale in 2015 as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. David Hafler's lab and was appointed Assistant Professor in 2020. His research interests span Autoimmune Diseases, Cardiovascular System, Immune System, Nervous System, Genetics, Genomics, Epigenetics, and Immunology. The Sumida Lab specifically investigates the factors and mechanisms controlling immune tolerance with emphasis on regulatory T cells, studying how dysregulation of Tregs contributes to immunopathogenesis in conditions like multiple sclerosis. Their work explores the dynamic balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory signals necessary to decipher complex immune responses to genetic and environmental factors. Analysis of Dr. Sumida's recent publications reveals a strong focus on regulatory T cell biology, particularly in multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune conditions. His work frequently employs single-cell technologies to understand immune dysregulation, with significant contributions to understanding how genetic variants affect immune cell function. His research bridges immunology, genetics, and neurology, with particular emphasis on how immune dysfunction contributes to neurological diseases. Harry Weaver Scholar Awards (2023) Race to Erase MS Young Investigator Award (2020) MSD Life Science Foundation Research Fellowship (2016) LEGEND Study Abroad Grant (2015) Uehara Memorial Foundation Research Fellowship (2015) Dr. Sumida has established significant collaborations across Yale, particularly with Dr. David Hafler's lab, where he was a postdoctoral fellow. His research program has received support from multiple sources, including the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. As Principal Investigator of the Sumida Lab, he leads investigations into the molecular mechanisms of immune tolerance and dysfunction, with the goal of developing therapeutic approaches for autoimmune diseases. His work bridges basic immunology with clinical applications, particularly in neuroimmunological disorders. The Sumida Lab focuses on basic human immunobiology and gene regulatory programs causing autoinflammatory disease, especially multiple sclerosis. They study the interaction of genetics and epigenetics to understand pathogenic gene regulatory circuits in human T cells, with particular focus on co-inhibitory receptors and the functional roles of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in maintaining immune homeostasis.
Michael J. Gandal is the William & Noreen Heznecker Associate Professor in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. He holds secondary affiliations with the Lifespan Brain Institute (LIBI), Penn Epigenetics Institute, Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine (CHOP), and Institute for Biomedical Informatics. His research combines computational biology and functional genomics to investigate neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders , including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) , ADHD , bipolar disorder , and schizophrenia . Education: BS in Biomedical Computation, Stanford University (2006) PhD in Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania (2011) MD in Clinical Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania (2013) Research Themes: His work focuses on genetic mechanisms , gene network biology , and single-cell genomics in the human brain. Key methodologies include GWAS , transcriptomics , and methylomics . Scientific Contributions: He has led major publications in Science , Nature Genetics , and Cell , particularly in single-cell analysis across 388 human brains and cross-ancestry gene regulation atlases. His team has uncovered cell-type shifts in neuropsychiatric conditions and novel isoform-level associations with disorders.
Milena Hasan is a Researcher at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France, specializing in UTechS Single Cell Biomarkers unit. Her work focuses on cutting-edge single-cell transcriptomics , immune profiling , and cytometry data analysis across diverse conditions including viral infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancer immunotherapy. Lead investigator for multiple projects (TPAI, TTP, VARIANCE) involving single-cell technology training and advanced immune response analysis Key contributor to the Milieu Intérieur program studying immune system heterogeneity She actively develops tools for multi-omics data integration and leads courses on Single Cell Gene Expression and Beyond (2022, 2025) and Advanced Immunology (2025). Her research spans host-pathogen interactions , T cell dynamics , and inflammatory disease mechanisms through innovative technologies like spectral cytometry and single-cell proteomics.
Domagoj Ševerdija is an Assistant Professor at the School of Applied Mathematics and Informatics at Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, where he leads the Computer Science and Machine Learning Research Group. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering (2013) and a dual BS in Mathematics and Computer Science (2007) from the University of Osijek. His research spans computational linguistics, natural language processing, machine learning, and combinatorial optimization, with applications in bioinformatics, robotics, and energy systems. Recent work focuses on neural language models, domain adaptation techniques, and efficient algorithm design. Publications show strong interdisciplinary trends: computational linguistics (Croatian morphology, sentence embeddings), bioinformatics (cell typing, RNA splicing), and algorithm optimization (terrain guarding, matrix operations). Recent papers emphasize knowledge distillation, domain adaptation, and compressed representations. Awards: Best paper award in AIS - Artificial Intelligence Systems track (MIPRO 2023) Research funding includes: Computer-Assisted Corpus Linguistics (UNIOS, 2019-2020) Croatian Identity Network Framework (Adris Foundation, 2020-2021) Croatian Language in Global Cloud (Adris Foundation, 2019-2020) Leads the Computer Science and Machine Learning Research Group, coordinating projects in NLP, computational geometry, and AI applications.
Mariella G. Filbin, MD, PhD is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and serves as Co-Director of the Brain Tumor Center and Research Director of the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Program at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. She is also an Attending Physician in the Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Blood Disorders Center, specializing in pediatric brain tumors including brain tumors, ependymoma, and glioma. Dr. Filbin received her medical and doctoral training from the Medical University of Graz in Austria. She completed her pediatric residency at Boston Children's Hospital and a fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Dr. Filbin's research focuses on pediatric brain tumors, particularly high-grade gliomas and malignant embryonal brain tumors. She combines single-cell genetics and transcriptomics with gene editing, epigenetic, stem cell, and pharmacologic methods to identify cellular states and hierarchies underlying tumorigenesis. Her work emphasizes utilizing single-cell transcriptomics to determine tumor architecture in pediatric brain tumors and exploring downstream effects of epigenetic driver mutations in DIPG and high-grade gliomas. Recent publications reveal her expertise in cellular hierarchies, immune landscapes, and therapeutic vulnerabilities in these challenging tumors. Jan Paradise Chair in Brain Cancer Research Dr. Filbin joined the faculty at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's as a pediatric neuro-oncologist in July 2017. Her research program receives funding to investigate cellular networks of tumor dependencies in pediatric brain tumors with the goal of finding new targeted therapies. She collaborates extensively with researchers across institutions to advance understanding and treatment of these challenging cancers, with numerous grants supporting her innovative approaches to studying tumor heterogeneity and identifying novel therapeutic targets. Dr. Filbin leads a research laboratory focused on pediatric neuro-oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where her team employs cutting-edge genomic and epigenomic approaches to study tumor heterogeneity and identify novel therapeutic targets for children with brain cancer. Her lab works closely with the Brain Tumor Center and Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Program to translate basic science discoveries into clinical applications for patients.
Dr Gayle Overend is a Researcher at the University of Glasgow , affiliated with the Institute of Molecular, Cellular and Systems Biology and the Department of Molecular Biosciences . Her work spans molecular biology, genetics, and physiology, with a focus on Drosophila melanogaster and human disease models. Her research interests include: Epigenetic mechanisms in myotonic dystrophy (DM1) Ion transport and renal physiology in insects Gene expression regulation in disease progression Stress and immune response cross-talk in Drosophila Recent publications highlight her expertise in comparative physiology, Drosophila genetics, and epigenetic regulation of neuromuscular disorders. She has contributed to databases like FlyAtlas 2 and explored molecular pathways in malaria vectors. Advising : No student information available. Labs/teams : Collaborates with Julian A.T. Dow and Darren G. Monckton's research groups.
Professor Irina Voineagu is an Associate Professor at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) within the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences. Her research focuses on molecular genetic mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders using functional genomic approaches in human brain tissue and neuronal models. She leads the Functional Neurogenomics Group and maintains an active research program with consistent high-impact publications. Her research interests center on molecular genetics of brain disorders , particularly autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability. Through transcriptome analysis, she investigates convergent molecular pathways, circular RNA biology, and genomic instability mechanisms. Her work bridges basic molecular biology with clinical neuroscience, identifying shared pathological mechanisms across neurodevelopmental conditions using post-mortem brain tissue and iPSC-derived neuronal models. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals strong emphasis on transcriptomic regulation in neurodevelopment , with particular focus on circular RNAs, single-cell resolution mapping, and cross-species evolutionary comparisons. Her work consistently identifies convergent molecular pathways across diverse neurodevelopmental conditions, demonstrating how different genetic lesions lead to common pathological endpoints. Australian Academy of Science Gani Medal (2018) UNSW Scientia Fellowship (2017) Lorne Genome Women in Science Award (2017) Biological Psychiatry Australia Aubrey Lewis Award (2015) ARC Development Early Career Award (2013) Simons Foundation top 10 autism papers (2015) NARSAD Young Investigator Award (2012) Autism Speaks top 10 papers (2011) Professor Voineagu's research program is supported by major competitive grants including ARC and NHMRC funding. Her laboratory employs cutting-edge genomic technologies to dissect gene regulatory networks in the developing brain. The Functional Neurogenomics Group maintains collaborations with international consortia studying autism genetics and brain development. The Voineagu Lab operates within UNSW's neuroscience research ecosystem, utilizing advanced genomic facilities and collaborating with clinical researchers to translate molecular findings into potential therapeutic targets for neurodevelopmental disorders. Her team combines computational biology with experimental validation to characterize disease mechanisms at unprecedented resolution.
Chi Wei Cliburn Chan is a Professor of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics and Research Professor of Mathematics and Statistical Science at Duke University. He is affiliated with the Division of Integrative Genomics and the Duke Cancer Institute. Doctorate from University College London (2002) Medical degree from National University of Singapore (1991) Dr. Chan specializes in computational immunology, focusing on stochastic and spatial modeling of T cell signaling, immune regulation, and statistical methodology for flow cytometry and CFSE analysis. His work also includes informatics of the immune system through reference ontologies and machine learning applications. His recent publications emphasize HIV vaccine trials, CMV pathogenesis, single-cell data analysis, and climate change impacts on immune health. Key grants involve multiscale immune modeling, vaccine development, and congenital CMV research. Professional activities include leadership in Bass Connections Faculty Team and Data+ Project. He teaches IDS 793: Independent Study and has contributed to the establishment of normative immune profiling standards.
Ryan S. Gray, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at The University of Texas at Austin , with an adjunct faculty appointment in the Department of Nutritional Sciences within the College of Natural Sciences . Education: Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from UT Austin Postdoctoral Training: Washington University School of Medicine Gray's research focuses on musculoskeletal diseases , particularly adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and cartilage degeneration . His lab employs a multi-tiered approach combining zebrafish , mouse , and cell culture models informed by human genomics to uncover mechanisms of spine development and disease. Key areas include: Genetic regulation of spine morphogenesis Role of cilia in cerebrospinal fluid dynamics Protein assembly in vertebrate evolution ADGRG6 and SOX9 signaling in cartilage homeostasis His publications highlight novel genetic pathways in AIS, including Kif6 , Inppl1a , and dysregulated dynein genes . Awards include the Early Investigator Podium Award (2017) and Best Poster Award (2015) from leading orthopedic societies. Gray leads the Gray Lab , which emphasizes translational research for musculoskeletal disorders. The lab's work spans from basic science (e.g., kinesin motor proteins) to clinical applications in scoliosis diagnosis and treatment.
Edoardo Sozzi is a Visiting Research Fellow and PhD student at Lund University's Faculty of Medicine, specializing in the Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology group under Prof. Malin Parmar. He earned a BSc in Biotechnology (2018) and a dual MSc in Neuroscience (2020) from the University of Pisa and Scuola Normale Superiore, Italy. His research focuses on the development, functionality, and diversity of human dopaminergic neurons using 3D cell culture systems like brain organoids and xenograft models, with heavy reliance on single-cell RNA sequencing. His work intersects neuroscience, developmental biology, and regenerative medicine, targeting neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease. Key publication trends include innovations in organoid technology , single-cell transcriptomics , and WNT signaling modulation . He has contributed to 11 scientific outputs , including a 2025 doctoral thesis, peer-reviewed articles in Nature Methods and Development , and a 2023 Horizon Europe grant (OpenMIND project) for opto-electronic neural modeling in neurodegenerative diseases. Sozzi actively participates in academic events, organizing conferences like Neuroscience Day 2024 and UniStem Day 2024 , and serves as a presenter in multidisciplinary initiatives (MultiPark). His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals for Medical and Health Sciences and Neurosciences .
Rongxin Fang is an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and Genetics (by courtesy) at Stanford University. He received his Ph.D. in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology from UC San Diego (2015-2019) and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Spatial Genomics at Harvard University (2019-2024). His work bridges high-throughput genomic technologies, computational tools, and transcriptome imaging to unravel the molecular architecture of the brain across species and developmental stages. Research Highlights: Developed 3D MERFISH imaging for thick tissues (2024), enabling spatial genomics at unprecedented resolution. Led cross-species MERFISH studies (2022) revealing conserved cortical organization with human-specific glia-neuron interactions. Created SnapATAC (2021), a pivotal tool for large-scale single-cell ATAC-seq analysis. Scientific Awards: Damon Runyon-Dale F. Frey Award for Breakthrough Scientists (2024) Next Generation Leader, Allen Institute (2024) Rising Star in Health in Engineering (2022) Advising and Collaborations: Doctoral Dissertation Advisor for Eduardo Chaparro Barriera Postdoctoral Faculty Sponsor for Ya Jiang Collaborated with Xiaowei Zhuang (Harvard), Adam Cohen (Harvard), and Bing Ren (UCSD)
Laurence Chapuy, MD, PhD is an Associate Investigator at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at McGill University. He is affiliated with the Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program and the Centre for Translational Biology at RI-MUHC. Dr. Chapuy's research focuses on immunological mechanisms underlying inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). His work specifically examines the role of innate immune cells, particularly mononuclear phagocytes, in the inflammatory and fibrotic processes of patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. His laboratory employs advanced techniques including single-cell RNA sequencing, transcriptomic analysis, and high-dimensional phenotypic mapping to characterize immune cell populations in intestinal mucosa and mesenteric lymph nodes. Analysis of Dr. Chapuy's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on cellular immunology in IBD, with particular emphasis on mononuclear phagocytes, CD14+ subsets, and Th17/Th1 responses. His work demonstrates significant differences in immune cell profiles between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, providing insights into disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets. His research spans both adult and pediatric IBD populations, with recent work examining very early onset and early onset IBD in pediatric cohorts. As an Associate Investigator at RI-MUHC, Dr. Chapuy leads a research program investigating mucosal immunology in inflammatory bowel diseases. His work bridges basic immunology with clinical applications, aiming to translate findings into improved understanding and management of IBD. His research is conducted in collaboration with multiple investigators at McGill University and the McGill University Health Centre.
