Lab Members

Principal Investigator

 

 

 

Arun Wiita M.D., Ph.D.

Professor in Residence & Interim Chair, Dept. of Laboratory Medicine

Adjunct Professor in Residence, Dept. of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences

Investigator, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco

Member, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy

Assistant Director, UCSF Clinical Cytogenetics Laboratory

Director, UCSF Stephen and Nancy Grand Multiple Myeloma Translational Initiative Laboratory

Director, Physician-Scientist Pathway Program, Depts. of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Phone: +1-415-514-6238

Email: [email protected]u

Post-Doctoral Scholars & Junior Faculty

 

 

 

 

Bonell Patiño Escobar, M.D.

Post-doctoral Scholar

M.D. Fundación Universitaria Juan N. Corpas (Bogota, Colombia)

Residency: Medicine, Fundación Universitaria Juan N. Corpas

Fellowship: Hematology/Oncology, Fundación Universitaria Cienca de la Salud (Bogota, Colombia)

Project: Development of novel CAR T-cells and study of NK cell biology in multiple myeloma

Email: [email protected]

 

 

Abhilash Barpanda, Ph.D, MSc

Post-doctoral Scholar

Bachelors in Zoology- Sambalpur University

Masters in Life Sciences: Central University of Gujarat

PhD, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

Project: Identification of Novel Cell Surface Target for Cancer Immunotherapy

Email: [email protected]

Corynn Kasap, M.D., Ph.D.

Clinical Instructor, Hematology/Oncology and Laboratory Medicine

B.S., University of Michigan

M.D., Ph.D. Cornell Tri-Institutional MSTP

Residency: UCSF Internal Medicine

Fellowship: UCSF Hematology/Oncology

Project: Development of next-generation cellular therapies for myeloid malignancies

Email: [email protected]

 

Sujata Walunj, Ph.D

Post-doctoral Scholar

Bachelors in biotech: Pune University, India
Masters in biotech: Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
PhD: Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and Monash University, Melbourne

Project: Development of novel conformation-selective antibody therapeutics for blood cancers

Email: [email protected]

Hector Huang Ph.D.

Associate Professional Researcher, Laboratory Medicine

B.A. Columbia University

Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley

Project: Discovery of novel immunotherapeutic targets in solid tumors

 

Adila Izgutdina, M.D.

Post-doctoral Scholar

B.S., Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan

M.D., Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan

Email: [email protected]

Project: Advancement of CD72-targeting CAR T-cells for B-cell cancers

 

 

Ruyan Rahnama, M.D., Ph.D.

Clinical Instructor, Pediatric Oncology

B.A,, University of California, Berkeley

M.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Ph.D., Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Project: Optimizing CAR-NK Cells for treatment of acute myeloid leukemia

Email: [email protected]

Dan Waller, Ph.D.

Associate Professional Researcher, Laboratory Medicine

PhD, McGill University

Project: Rational design and targeted delivery of intracellular protein therapeutics.

Email: [email protected]

Edward He, M.D.

Clinical Fellow, Pediatric Oncology

M.D., University of Central Florida

Pediatrics Residency, University of Miami

Project: Discovery of novel immunotherapy targets for pediatric cancers

Email: [email protected]

Graduate Students

 

 

 

 

Audrey Kishishita, M.S.

Graduate Program: Chemistry and Chemical Biology

B.S., M.S. California State University, Los Angeles

Project: Advancement of the structural surfaceomics proteomics technology

Email: [email protected]

Amrik Kang, M.S. (MSTP Program)

Graduate Program: Medical Scientist Training Program, Biomedical Sciences

Co-Mentor: Dr. Justin Eyquem, Ph.D.

M.S., University of California, San Francisco

B.S., University of California, Riverside

Projects: 1) Structure-guided protein evolution of natural ligand CAR T-cells using deep learning algorithms for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) 2) Development of dual-targeting CAR T-cells to overcome antigen heterogeneity in AML

Email: [email protected]

Sham Rampersaud, M.S.

City University of New York, Hunter College - Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry
Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics PhD Program

Projects: Engineering best in class CAR-T Cell therapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Engineering T-Cells to target intracellular oncoproteins

Email: [email protected]

 

 

Chloe Kong, M.S.

B.S., Rice University

Graduate Program: Bioengineering (joint with UC Berkeley)

Project: Establishing predictive design principles for antibody internalization kinetics

Email: [email protected]

McKenna Crawford

B.S., Duke University

Graduate Program: Chemistry & Chemical Biology

Project: Engineering adipocytes to secrete bispecific T cell engagers for the treatment of multiple myeloma

Email: [email protected]

Mingcheng (Tom) Li, M.S. 

B.S., University of Michigan

Graduate Program: Chemsitry & Chemical Biology

Co-mentor: Dr. Justin Eyquem

Project: High-throughput screening of novel binders for CAR T-cells

Email: [email protected]

 

Sabine Cismoski

B.S., University of California, Berkeley

Graduate Program: Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Project: Developing immunotherapies targeting conformation-selective tumor surface antigens

Email: [email protected]

Research Associates

 

 

 

 

 

Haley Johnson

Junior Specialist

B.S., University of California, Los Angeles 

Projects: Engineering and validating bicistronic CAR T therapies for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Generating an immunocompetent murine model for High Risk Multiple Myeloma (HR MM) to study CAR T treatments and the tumor microenviornment (TME).

Email: [email protected]

Nikhil Chilakapati

Junior Specialist

B.S., University of California, San Diego

Project: Structure-guided design of natural ligand CAR T-cells for multiple myeloma

Email: [email protected]

Sanjana Prudhvi

Junior Specialist

B.A., Boston University

Projects: Developing and optimizing cell surface proteomics using proximity labeling and mass spectrometry in cancer. Investigating therapeutic targets in tumor-derived organoids through surface proteomics.

Email: [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

Rucha Deo, MS

Assistant Specialist

M.S. Bioinformatics, San Jose State University

Co-mentors: Jim Wells, PhD, and Kevin Leung, PhD

Project: De novo Design of Protein Binders Targeting Cancer-Associated Proteins and Post-Translational Modifications

Email: [email protected]