Principal Investigator
Arun Wiita M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor in Residence
Dept. of Laboratory Medicine
Dept. of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences
Member, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub
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
Bonell Patiño Escobar, M.D.
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)
Email: [email protected]
Abhilash Barpanda, Ph.D, MSc
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.
B.S., University of Michigan
M.D., Ph.D. Cornell Tri-Institutional MSTP
Residency: UCSF Internal Medicine
Fellowship: UCSF Hematology/Oncology
Email: [email protected]
Sujata Walunj, Ph.D
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: Determine biophysical and biochemical properties of anti-CD72 nanobodies that impact CAR-T efficasy
Email: [email protected]
Hector Huang Ph.D.
Post-doc, 2014-2019
B.A. Columbia University
Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley
Current position: Senior Scientist, InterVenn
Adila Izgutdina, M.D.
B.S., Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan
M.D., Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Email: [email protected]
Ruyan Rahnama, M.D.
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.
PhD, McGill University
Project: Rational design and targeted delivery of intracellular protein therapeutics.
Email: [email protected]
Rucha Deo, MS
M.S. Bioinformatics, San Jose State University
Project: Denovo Design of Protein Binders Targeting Cancer-Associated Proteins and Post-Translational Modifications
Email: [email protected]
Graduate Students
Audrey Kishishita, M.S.
B.S., M.S. California State University, Los Angeles
Graduate Program: Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Email: [email protected]
Amrik Kang, B.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
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
B.S., Rice University
Graduate Program: Bioengineering (joint with UC Berkeley)
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, B.S.
B.S.,
Graduate Program: Biomedical Sciencies
Co-mentor: Dr. Justin Eyquem
Email: [email protected]
Junior Specialists/Research Associates
Haley Johnson
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
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
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]