Translational Medicine | Research Interests

Name	Email	PhD Program
Schrank, Travis EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Pathobiology & Translational Science RESEARCH INTEREST Bioinformatics, Biophysics, Cancer Biology, Cancer Signaling & Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Computational Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Genomics, Molecular Biology, Molecular Mechanisms of Disease, Translational Medicine, Virology	I am a surgeon-scientist specialized in head and neck cancers. My goal is to address translationalquestions with genomic data and bioinformatic methods, as well as benchtop experimentation. My clinical practice as a head and neck cancer surgeon also influences my research by helping me seek solutions to problems that will directly inform gaps in the current treatment protocols. I have developed a strong interest in HPV genomics as well as HPV/host genome integrations, as these factors are intrinsically related to transcriptional diversity and patient outcomes in HPV-associated head and neck cancers. Our work has helped to demonstrate that a novel mechanism of HPV-mediated oncogenesis requiring NF-kB activation is present in nearly 50% of oropharyngeal tumors. In this vein, we are aggressively investigating the cellular interplay between the NF-kB pathway and persistent HPV infection, tumor radiation response, NRF2 signaling, and more. Another outgrowth of this work has been investigating APOBEC3B and its non-canonical roles in regulating transcription. Our preliminary work has demonstrated that APOBEC3B has surprisingly strong transcriptional effects in HPV+ HNSCC cells and may promote oncogenesis and tumor maintenance by suppressing the innate immune response and influencing the HPV viral lifecycle. Our group also have a strong interest in translational genomic studies. Our group is working to develop methods that will make gene expression-based biomarkers more successful in the clinic, as well as studying many aspects of genomic alterations that contribute to the development of squamous cell carcinomas.
Chung, Kay WEBSITE EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Cell Biology & Physiology RESEARCH INTEREST Bioinformatics, Cancer Biology, Cancer Immunology, Cancer Signaling & Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Computational Biology, Gene Therapy, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Signal Transduction, Systems Biology, Translational Medicine, Virology	The Chung lab is engineering immune cells, particularly T cells, to achieve maximum therapeutic efficacy at the right place and timing. We explore the crossroads of synthetic biology, immunology, and cancer biology. Particularly, we are employing protein engineering, next-gen sequencing, CRISPR screening, and bioinformatics to achieve our objectives: (1) Combinatorial recipes of transcription factors for T cell programming. (2) Technologies for temporal regulation and/or rewiring of tumor and immune signal activation (chemokine, nuclear, inhibitor receptors). (3) Synthetic oncolytic virus for engineering tumor-T cell crosstalk.
Corteselli, Elizabeth EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Toxicology RESEARCH INTEREST Cell Biology, Cell Signaling, Molecular Mechanisms of Disease, Pulmonary Research, Toxicology, Translational Medicine	Dr. Corteselli’s research aims to uncover the mechanisms by which exposure to air pollutants causes lung injury. Her lab uses advanced in vitro models, including lung organoids and precision cut lung slices, to investigate the effects of inhaled toxicants on airway epithelial cell function, with a focus on redox homeostasis and signaling.
Yates, Melinda EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Pathobiology & Translational Science RESEARCH INTEREST Cancer Biology, Cancer Genomics, Cancer Preclinical Models, Cancer Signaling & Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Translational Medicine	Our translational research lab is focused on the earliest changes that occur in the uterus (endometrium) during cancer development related to obesity and hereditary DNA repair defects. We use preclinical tools (rodents, organoids, and cell lines) to probe mechanisms of endometrial cancer pathogenesis, in parallel with human tissue studies. Our overall goal is to understand how environmental factors, including obesity, hormones, and other exposures, influence endometrial cancer development and disparities so that we can use pharmacologic agents to prevent or reverse cancer development.
van Duin, David WEBSITE EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM Microbiology & Immunology RESEARCH INTEREST Antibiotics/Antivirals, Bacteriology, Disease, Pathogenesis & Infection, Translational Medicine	I am a clinical/translational researcher in Infectious Diseases. I am the Director of the Immunocompromised Host Program – which provides ID care to patients with transplants, malignancies, and burns. My primary research interests are antibacterial resistance in gram-negative bacilli, and infections in vulnerable patients. I am the PI for the Carbapenem Resistance Consortium for Klebsiella and other Enterobacteriaceae (CRACKLE) and PI for the Multi-Drug Resistant Organism (MDRO) Network. I am also supported by NIAID to evaluate community origins of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales.
Smeekens, Johanna WEBSITE EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Toxicology RESEARCH INTEREST Immunology, Toxicology, Translational Medicine	Our research focuses on investigating factors that contribute to the development of food allergy, with an emphasis on how we can manipulate these factors towards preventative and therapeutic strategies. Specifically, we aim to understand the role of environmental exposures, particularly early in life, in non-oral sensitization to foods that lead to allergy. We are also especially interested in testing novel therapeutics for food allergy that can induce tolerance, after allergy is already established. We utilize a combination of human samples and mouse models to address these goals.
Alnaqshabandi, Hiba EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Drug Delivery, Nanomedicine, Translational Medicine
Jull, Ellie EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Drug Discovery, Pharmacology, Translational Medicine	“I am most interested in drug discovery research as it relates to any disease but particularly cancer. I would like to translate my research in vivo to better understand the physiological impact on the disease and how the drug can be improved to reach clinical trials. I have an interest in working towards a certificate in translational medicine too.”
Sahoo, Sneha EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Cancer Biology, Immunology, Translational Medicine	“During graduate school, I would like to work on a cancer biology problem that is heavily translational and multi-disciplinary in nature. I am really interested in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and I would like to study tumor-promoting/suppressing mechanisms promoted due to cell crosstalk in the TME. Alternatively, I am also interested in studying different molecular mechanisms that result in cancer initiation and metastasis. Ultimately, I would like to utilize my research findings to develop potential therapeutic interventions.”
Sapienza-Lundie, Lauren EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Pathology, Toxicology, Translational Medicine	“I’m interested in toxicology research as it relates to the type of particulates or pollutants in the environment and how these health-threatening chemicals affect and alter the biology of humans through their environments. I would be open to studying pathology of disease from these chemicals and ways to mitigate, prevent, or even treat these chemicals from causing disease in at-risk communities on the fence line of industries that impact the environment and subsequent public health.”

Research Interest: Translational Medicine