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]