Molecular Medicine | Research Interests

Name	Email	PhD Program
Murray, Allison EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Cancer Biology, Immunology, Molecular Medicine	“I’m interested in exploring mechanisms of adaptive resistance to novel therapeutics, particularly in aggressive tumor models like PDAC, NSCLC, and CRC. I believe that transcriptional rebound mechanisms can be overpowered by the anti-tumor immune system, but the relationships among mechanisms of adaptive resistance and anti-tumor immune system dynamics have yet to be well elucidated. Thus, while I welcome the opportunity to explore both immune cell crosstalk and novel therapeutic efficacy, my hope is to identify a synergistic small-molecule/immunotherapy combo that can not only overcome adaptive resistance to single agent, but also translate well to the clinic.”
Binder, Matt EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Chemical Biology, Drug Discovery, Molecular Medicine	“I would like to use chemical tools to study biological systems and pathways. I am interested in understanding the mechanisms of diseases to find and validate potential drug targets. Hopefully, this knowledge can be used to develop novel therapeutics.”
Laidman, Ashlyn EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Molecular Medicine, Stem Cells, Translational Medicine	“I am interested in the cell-fate decisions stem cells make during development and how we can use this knowledge to aid translational research.”
Joshi, Anusha EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Molecular Medicine, Neurobiology, Pharmacology	“I am interested in pursuing translational research in neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative disorders.”
El Merhebi, Omar EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Computational Biology, Molecular Medicine, Translational Medicine	“Machine learning and deep learning have opened the door to new approaches in personalized medicine, including immunotherapy, drug design, and gene editing. I am interested in utilizing machine learning to help create personalized cancer treatments for patients, either through personalized drug combinations or vaccines, and predict tumor responses to these treatments. With these novel methodologies, I hope to help medicine progress towards the inevitable future model of individualized care and treatment.”
Berlow, Rebecca WEBSITE EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Biochemistry & Biophysics RESEARCH INTEREST Biochemistry, Biophysics, Cancer Biology, Molecular Medicine, Structural Biology	Our lab is interested in the molecular mechanisms of adaptive stress responses. These responses to environmental or metabolic stress are essential for survival but frequently dysregulated in disease. We use an integrated approach combining biophysical, structural, and biochemical methods to investigate the roles of intrinsically disordered proteins and dynamic enzymes that orchestrate these critical stress responses, with the ultimate goal of developing new approaches for modulating the functions of dynamic molecules.
Lin, Jessica WEBSITE EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Microbiology & Immunology RESEARCH INTEREST Genetics, Genomics, Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine, Pathogenesis & Infection	Dr. Lin is an infectious disease physician-scientist whose research lies at the interface of clinical and molecular studies on malaria. My current projects focus on 1) determinants of malaria transmission from human hosts to mosquitos and 2) the epidemiology and relapse patterns of Plasmodium ovale in East Africa. Work in my lab involves applying molecular tools (real-time PCR, amplicon deep sequencing, whole genome sequencing, and to a lesser extent antigen and antibody assays) to samples collected in clinical field studies to learn about malaria epidemiology, transmission, and pathogenesis.
Li, Zibo WEBSITE EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Biochemistry & Biophysics, Chemistry RESEARCH INTEREST Biochemistry, Drug Delivery, Drug Discovery, Molecular Medicine, Nanomedicine	My research has focused on developing new radio-chemistry, imaging probes, and therapeutic approaches including nanomedicine for various diseases. Most importantly, we have the culture of forming an active collaboration with people in different field. With a cGMP lab located within our facility, we are also experienced on developing lead agents and translate it to clinic.
Wirka, Robert WEBSITE EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM Cell Biology & Physiology RESEARCH INTEREST Bioinformatics, Cardiovascular Biology, Cell Biology, Genetics, Molecular Medicine	Our lab uses human genetics to identify new mechanisms driving coronary artery disease (CAD). Starting with findings from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of CAD, we identify the causal gene at a given locus, study the effect of this gene on cellular and vessel wall biology, and finally determine the molecular pathways by which this gene influences CAD risk. Within this framework, we use complex genetic mouse models and human vascular samples, single-cell transcriptomics/epigenomics and high-throughput CRISPR perturbations, as well as traditional molecular biology techniques.
Jiang, Guochun WEBSITE EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Biochemistry & Biophysics RESEARCH INTEREST Behavior, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Cell Signaling, Chemical Biology, Drug Discovery, Immunology, Metabolism, Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine, Neurobiology, Pathogenesis & Infection, Pharmacology, Translational Medicine, Virology	Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is effective in suppressing HIV-1 replication in the periphery, however, it fails to eradicate HIV-1 reservoirs in patients. The main barrier for HIV cure is the latent HIV-1, hiding inside the immune cells where no or very low level of viral particles are made. This prevents our immune system to recognize the latent reservoirs to clear the infection. The main goal of my laboratory is to discover the molecular mechanisms how HIV-1 achieves its latent state and to translate our understanding of HIV latency into therapeutic intervention. Several research programs are undertaking in my lab with a focus of epigenetic regulation of HIV latency, including molecular mechanisms of HIV replication and latency establishment, host-virus interaction, innate immune response to viral infection, and the role of microbiome in the gut health. Extensive in vitro HIV latency models, ex vivo patient latency models, and in vivo patient and rhesus macaque models of AIDS are carried out in my lab. Multiple tools are applied in our studies, including RNA-seq, proteomics, metabolomics, highly sensitive digital droplet PCR and tissue RNA/DNAscope, digital ELISA, and modern and traditional molecular biological and biochemical techniques. We are also very interested in how non-CD4 expression cells in the Central Nervous System (CNS) get infected by HIV-1, how the unique interaction among HIV-1, immune cells, vascular cells, and neuron cells contributes to the initial seeding of latent reservoirs in the CNS, and whether we can target the unique viral infection and latency signaling pathways to attack HIV reservoirs in CNS for a cure/remission of HIV-1 and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). We have developed multiple tools to attack HIV latency, including latency reversal agents for “Shock and Kill” strategy, such as histone deacetylase inhibitors and ingenol family compounds of protein kinase C agonists, and latency enforcing agents for deep silencing of latent HIV-1. Several clinical and pre-clinical studies are being tested to evaluate their potential to eradicate latent HIV reservoirs in vivo. We are actively recruiting postdocs, visiting scholars, and technicians. Rotation graduate students and undergraduate students are welcome to join my lab, located in the UNC HIV Cure Center, for these exciting HIV cure research projects.

Research Interest: Molecular Medicine