Xavier Lab People
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Jakob Begun Research Fellow
Education M.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School
Interests Inflammatory bowel disease, innate immunity, mucosal immunity
I am interested in the processes governing the immune responses within the GI tract and the dysregulation of this response found in inflammatory bowel disease. In particular I am interested in how the innate immune response to gut flora is regulated and how this may relate to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. |
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Zhifang Cao Research Fellow
Education M. Sc., Wuhan Inst. of Virology; Ph.D., Tsinghua University, China
Interests Protein interaction networks in lymphocyte and cancer cell signaling
My research interests focus on proteomics, gain of function genomic screens, and gene expression analysis.
My main research interest is identification of novel binding partners of the MAGUK family of proteins using a mammalian tandem affinity purification approach. I am also following up on novel genes identified in genomic and bioinformatics screens in cancer cell signaling and NF-kB activation. I am always available for a game of badminton. |
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Adam Castoreno Research Scientist
Education Ph.D., Harvard University
Interests Crohn's disease, innate immunity, and inflammation
I am interested in studying autophagy in the context of Crohn’s disease. In particular, I am developing high-throughput screening and secondary assays to discover and optimize chemical probes for disease-relevant pathways. Outside the lab, I enjoy running, triathlons, and camping. |
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Kara Conway Research Fellow
Education Ph.D., U. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Interests Immunology and Crohn's disease
I am interested in immune homeostasis, specifically in the gut, where complex regulatory mechanisms are overcome in inflammation. I am specifically exploring Crohn's disease (CD)-associated genes in murine models in hopes of better understanding CD pathogenesis as well as identifying potential therapeutic targets. |
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Aivi Doan Research Technologist
Education B.A. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Wesleyan University
Interests Exploring Boston, studying languages, learning about other cultures
My current project focuses on reduction-oxidation sensitive green fluorescent protein (roGFP) with the aim to use it as a tool in studying autophagy in various species including yeast, infectious bacteria, Listeria and Salmonella, and mammalian cells. In the near future, I plan to attend medical school. |
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John Gagnon Research Associate
Education B.S., Merrimack College
Interests Immunology
Outside the lab, I'm interested in anything that gets me outside: mountain biking, hiking, snowboarding, running...etc. |
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Agnès Gardet Instructor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Assistant in Immunology, MGH
Education Ph.D., Paris VI University
Interests Innate immunity, inflammation, inflammatory bowel diseases
I am involved in research projects primarily focused on proteins regulated by processes of inflammation.
The goals of these projects are to better understand the role of these proteins in the host-response to pathogens and to define whether dysregulation of these proteins is involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases. |
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Gautam Goel Research Fellow
Education Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology
Interests Photography, cooking, trekking
My research focuses on integrative analysis of immune system response to infection and vaccination. My aim is to identify systemic properties and models of immunological processes that could aid in disease diagnosis and vaccine development. |
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Daniel Graham Research Scientist
Education Ph.D., Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
Interests Coordination of innate and adaptive immunity, inflammatory pathologies, signal transduction
The primary focus of my research is to generate insight into how autoimmune pathologies are elicited and perpetuated. Specific areas of interest include mechanisms of intercellular communication mediated by cytokine networks, innate antimicrobial defense mechanisms, and the cell biology of antigen presentation.
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Robert Heath Research Fellow
Education Ph.D., University of Birmingham, UK
Interests Cell biology, genetics, host-pathogen interactions, innate immunity
I started out studying cell motility and the actin cytoskeleton, wandered in membrane organization and vesicle trafficking, and hope to keep studying some aspects of each of these in the future. |
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Bernard Khor Clinical/Research Fellow
Education M.D., Ph.D., Washington University
Interests Regulation of adaptive immunity, T cell differentiation, plasticity
I am interested in factors that affect T cell differentiation in the context of IBD and other human diseases. I am particularly interested in novel pathways that regulate T cell differentiation, both cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic (e.g., microflora products, interactions with APCs, etc).
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Ira Kim Research Fellow
Education H.B.Sc. & Ph.D., University of Toronto
Interests Host-pathogen interactions, inflammatory diseases and cancer
I am interested in the immune responses to infection, particularly in the gut. By using genetic, biochemical, and in vivo approaches, I hope to gain a better understanding of the molecular basis of inflammatory diseases and GI cancer. Outside the lab, I enjoy music, writing, and yoga.
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Petric Kuballa Research Fellow
Education Ph.D., University of Köln
Interests Epithelial cancers, serum response element, PDZ proteins and ligands
I'm primarily interested inPDZ networks and the serum response element. Most of my work is in basic research, with long-term implications for the treatment of diseases. I'm enjoying life in Boston and playing soccer with the CCIB Football Club.
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Isabel Latorre Project Manager
Education Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine
Interests Epigenetics, microbiome, type 1 diabetes
I am interested in the use of novel technologies to identify disease-associated pathways in diabetes and IBD. |
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Juan Liao Research Fellow
Education Ph.D., Purdue University
Interests Innate immunity, inflammatory diseases
I started out studying various signaling components that are involved in disease-associated pathways. I am particularly interested in studying the molecular basis of inflammatory disorders.
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Aiping Liu Research Lab Manager
Education M.S., Chinese Academy of Sciences
Interests Type 1 diabetes, inflammation
I am interested in research that helps advance treatments for patients suffering from inflammatory diseases. |
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Amanda Mok Research Associate
Education S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Interests Autoimmunity, type I diabetes
My current project is to develop a T cell activation assay to screen chemical compounds with the hopes of identifying potential therapeutic agents. In the near future, I plan on attending medical school. |
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Lea Medeiros Research Fellow
Education Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Interests Genetics, epigenetics, and both innate and adaptive immunity
I am broadly interested in how innate and adaptive immune responses can contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes. My current work is focused on identifying the mechanisms by which rare mutations in genes involved in the immune response can cause Crohn's disease.
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Aylwin Ng Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Assistant in Immunology, MGH
Education Ph.D., Oxford University
Interests Bioinformatics, systems biology, networks and immunity
I am interested in combining computational methods and experimental approaches toward understanding host-pathogen interactions, immunity and inflammation.
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Whitney Nolte Research Fellow
Education Ph.D., Harvard University
Interests Adaptive immunity and inflammatory diseases
My current project focuses on studying genes implicated in type 1 diabetes and Crohn's disease. I'm working to place these genes in pathways using proteomics and screening methods. My outside interests include cooking, knitting and hiking.
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Fadi Towfic Research Fellow
Education Ph.D., Iowa State University
Interests Bioinformatics and systems biology, machine learning, applications of graph theory, data mining
My main research interest in bioinformatics is in the identification and comparison of genes and gene interactions that contribute to disease (especially inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes) based on the integration of genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic evidence. Specifically, I am interested in developing algorithms for identifying and understanding the interaction between pathways (and specific genes that make up those pathways) in the context of different diseases and associated subtypes. |
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