Lab Members
Principal Investigator
George Adrian Calin, M.D., Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
GCalin@MDAnderson.org
George Adrian Calin received both his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees at Carol Davila University of Medicine in Bucharest, Romania. After working in cytogenetics as an undergraduate student with Dragos Stefanescu in Bucharest, Calin completed cancer genomics training in Massimo Negrini’s laboratory at the University of Ferrara, Italy, and in 2000, he became a postdoctoral fellow in Carlo Croce’s laboratory at Kimmel Cancer Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In June 2007, Calin joined MD Anderson as an associate professor in Experimental Therapeutics and was promoted to professor with tenure in 2013. He explores new RNA therapeutic options for cancer patients and studies the roles of microRNAs and other non-coding RNAs in cancer initiation and progression, as well as the mechanisms of cancer predisposition.
Instructors
Linda Fabris, Ph.D.
Instructor
Originally from: Italy
LFabris@MDAnderson.org
Linda Fabris obtained her master's degree in medical biotechnology from University of Trieste, Italy, in 2007. She began in a Ph.D. program in medical and biotechnological sciences at the University of Udine in 2008 and defended her thesis in 2011. During her Ph.D. program, she worked at CRO National Cancer Institute in Aviano, Italy, where she was a postdoctoral fellow until 2014. Linda joined the Calin Laboratory in April 2014 as a postdoctoral fellow and was promoted to instructor in 2018. Linda's main research interests are transcribed ultraconserved regions, lncRNAs and cancer aggressiveness. She is involved in multiple projects aimed at understanding the clinical relevance of lncRNAs in cancer pathogenesis. Her main project focuses on dissecting the mechanism by which T-UCRs are involved in CLL initiation, progression and resistance to therapy. Outside of the lab, Linda enjoys indoor cycling and yoga.
Simone Anfossi, Ph.D.
Instructor
Originally from: Italy
SAnfossi@MDAnderson.org
Simone Anfossi earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in molecular biology from University of Genoa, Italy, in 1998. He obtained his Italian Biologist Board certification in Molecular Biology from the University of Genoa, Italy, in 2001. Then, he moved to Houston where he enrolled in the MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in August 2008, graduating in May 2013 with a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences. He spent two and a half years as a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory where he graduated (Dr. James Reuben, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center). Then, in 2016, he joined the Calin Laboratory, where he spent three years as a postdoctoral fellow before becoming an instructor in September 2019. Simone's main research interest is in molecular and cell immunology and non-coding RNA. Simone's particular focus is on the development of novel non-coding RNA-based therapy for the treatment of breast cancer using engineered extracellular vesicles as delivery vehicle and the study of tumor-infiltrating neurons in the regulation of the tumor microenvironment. Outside of the lab, Simone enjoys travel, sports, art, creative drawing, good music and eating chocolate.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Kinga Fulopne Nemeth, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Originally from: Hungary
KFulopne@MDAnderson.org
Maria-Ancuta Jurj, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Originally from: Romania
MJurj@MDAnderson.org
Research Staff
Meng Chen
Research Assistant II
Originally from: China
MChen11@MDAnderson.org
Lan Pang
Research Investigator
Originally from: Sichuan, China
LPang@MDAnderson.org
Lan Pang is a skilled and detailed-oriented researcher with more than 16 years of experience within the U.S. academic research environment and a substantial background in molecular biology and cancer research. Lan's current research focus is screening and using small molecule compounds to target oncogenic miRNAs in several tumor types. Outside of the lab, Lan enjoys photography, gardening and cooking.
Masayoshi Shimitzu, Ph.D.
Research Investigator
Originally from: Japan
MShimizu@MDAnderson.org
Masayoshi Shimizu is a research investigator with 15 years of experience in molecular biology. He has worked with Dr. Calin for the last eight years, initially in genomics and then, beginning in 2002, in the field of microRNAs and cancer. He was involved in major non-coding RNA projects, including the genome-wide profiling of microRNAs, the discovery of miRNA germline mutations and the involvement of ultraconserved genes in cancer. Masa followed Dr. Calin to MD Anderson Cancer Center in June 2007, and he performs high throughput, non-coding RNA profiling by microarray and several genomics techniques related to non-coding RNAs.
Graduate Students
Abeer A. Alshambky
Visiting Ph.D. Student
Originally from: Egypt
AAAlshambky@MDAnderson.org
Recep Bayraktar, M.S.
Ph.D. Student
Originally from: Turkey
RBayraktar@MDAnderson.org
Recep joined the Calin Laboratory in Fall 2020 as a Graduate Research Assistant. He is currently studying the impact of somatic mutations in the ultra-conserved regions in molecular pathogenesis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and Richter transformation.
Samuel Akanksha, M.S.
Visiting Ph.D. Student
Originally from: India
ASamuel5@MDAnderson.org
Swati Mohapatra, M.S.
Ph.D. Student/Graduate Research Assistant, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Originally from: Odisha, India
SMohapatra@MDAnderson.org
Swati Mohapatra obtained her Integrated Master's (BS-MS) in Life Science from National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NITR), India in May 2019. She was awarded gold medal for best project in her master's program and also received the branch topper award at NITR. She was awarded the 2016 Indian Academy of Sciences SRF and 2017 AcSIR- Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam SRF. In the year 2018, she was competitively selected by the Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology, the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum, and WINStep Forward to the Khorana Scholar Exchange Program to undertake short term research at Baylor College of Medicine. Her master's thesis project was focused on studying the role of PIWI-interacting RNAs in fibrosarcoma. She joined the Ph.D. program at MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in fall 2019. She is affiliated to the Cancer Biology Program. She joined the Calin lab in January 2020 for her second rotation and continued for her Ph.D. thesis project. Her current research interests are in studying the role of long noncoding RNAs mapped from the ultraconserved regions that are involved in the progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In her spare time, Swati loves traveling and cooking.
Tanvi H. Visal, M.S.
Ph.D. Student
Originally from: India
THVisal@MDAnderson.org
Undergraduate Students
Narayanan Pranav
Undergraduate Student
PNarayanan@MDAnderson.org
Zara De Leon
Undergraduate Student
ZDe@MDAnderson.org
Lab Alumni
High School and Undergraduate Students
Evan Noch
High School Student, 2002–2003
Home Country: USA
Currently: Resident in neuro-oncology at Weill Cornell Program
Federica Dimitri
College Student, 2008
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Ph.D. Student, Italy
Julia Fogarty
High School Student, 2008
Home Country: USA
Omar Farooq Merchant
College Student, 2009
Home Country: USA
Currently: Physician, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Aida Tiron
College Student, 2009
Home Country: Romania
Currently: Resident in Family Medicine, New York, NY
Sharmita Bhattacharya
High School Student, 2009
Home Country: USA
Sean Xiangyu Liang
Research Aide, 2010
Home Country: USA
Peng Zhou
Research Aide, 2010
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, Vanderbilt University
Annie Hsiao
Research Aide, 2010–2012
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, Rice University, Houston
Zhengji Sheng
College Student, 2011
Home Country: China
Vijay Asokan Manohar
High School Student, 2011
Home Country: USA
Vineet Ravoori
High School Student, 2011
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, University of Houston
Abhishek Gangrade
Research Aide, 2011
Currently: College student
Rihab Nasr
Research Aide, 2011
Home Country: USA
Currently: Professor, Beirut University
Amilda Medina
Summer Student, 2011
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, University of Houston
Khanh Pham
Summer Student, 2011
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, University of Houston
Dong-Ho Gwak
College Student, 2011–2012
Home Country: USA
Natalie Lazarescou
College Student, 2011–2012
Home Country: USA
Currently: Medical student, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Ryan Loneil Beckner
High School Student, 2012
Home Country: USA
Andrea Maren Evans
High School Student, 2012
Home Country: USA
Khaja Riswaan Siddiqui
High School Student, 2012
Home Country: USA
Anisha Borthakur
College Student, 2013
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, Boston University School of Public Health
Maria Del Mar Monroig-Bosque
College Student, 2013
Home Country: Puerto Rico
Currently: Resident, Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
Angela Fan
High School Student, 2013
Home Country: USA
Gunalan Karun
High School Student, 2013
Home Country: USA
Currently: Incoming Software Engineering Intern at Google and The University of Texas at Austin
Krishna Bojja
High School Student, 2014
Home Country: USA
Currently: Honor biomedical sciences, University of Houston, TX
Kevin Liu
High School Student, 2014
Home Country: USA
Currently: Student, University of Michigan School of Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI
Ashwin Varma
High School Student, 2014
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student
Rishi Wagle
High School Student, 2014
Home Country: USA
Currently: Honor biomedical student, University of Houston
Ryan Feng Yang
High School Student, 2014
Home Country: USA
Nadia Khalfe
High School Student, 2015
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, University of Houston
Carlos Rivera
U54 Partnership Summer Research Student, 2015
Home Country: Puerto Rico
Ryan Feng Yang
High School Student, 2015
Home Country: USA
Joseph Thomas
Medical Student Academic Affairs, 2015
Home Country: USA
Osman Aykan Kargin
Research Medical Student, 2015
Home Country: Turkey
Currently: Medical student, Turkey
Alolika Sarkar
College Student, 2015
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, University of Houston
Ashwin Varma
High School Student, 2015
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, Rice University, Houston
Eunyeop Kim
College Student, 2016–2021
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, Rice University, Houston
Laura Herrera
College Student, 2016
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, University of Texas, Dallas
Kalki Kathiravan
College Student, 2016
Home Country: USA
Currently: College Student, University of Houston
Rahul Nagvekar
College Student, 2017
Home Country: USA
Currently: College Student, Yale University
Maya Nair
College Student, 2017–2018
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, University of Texas at Austin
Diadette Ramos-Ramirez
Medical Student, 2016
Home Country: Puerto Rico
Currently: University of Puerto Rico
Pavan Pinnamaneni
College Student, 2016
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, Rice University, Houston
Jessca Thomas
College Student, 2016–2017
Home Country: USA
Currently: College Student, University of Houston
Aarani Balakumar
High School Student, 2016
Home Country: United Kingdom
Maryam Baldawi
High School Student, 2017
Home Country: USA
Darya Corry
High School Student, 2017
Home Country: USA
Alisha Kashyap
High School Student, 2016
Home Country: USA
Mariam Khalfe
High School Student, 2016
Home Country: USA
Currently: Student, University of Houston
Nadia Khalfe
High School Student, 2015–2016
Home Country: USA
Currently: Student, University of Houston
Kevin Liu
High School Student, 2014
Home Country: USA
Currently: Graduate Student, Columbia University, New York
Susan Retondo
High School Student, 2016–2017
Home Country: USA
Seyhmus Aydemir
Medical Research Student, 2016
Home Country: Turkey
Currently: Student at Hacettepe University, Turkey
Oscar Wu
High School Student, 2016
Home Country: USA
Currently: College student, Texas Tech University
Susan Retondo
High School Student, 2016–2017
Home Country: USA
Anil Yalcin
Medical Student, 2017
Home Country: Turkey
Currently: Hacettepe University
Cristina Perez Caro
UPR Student, 2017
Home Country: Puerto Rico
Currently: UPR Partnership for Excellence in Cancer Research
Adriana Badillo
UPR Student, 2018
Home Country: Puerto Rico
Currently: UPR Partnership for Excellence in Cancer Research
Jessica Dae
High School Student, 2018
Home Country: USA
William He
High School Student, 2018
Home Country: USA
Muhammad Faiz Hussain Jaulim
Medical Student, 2018
Home Country: Turkey
Currently: Hacettepe University
Muhammad Khan
High School Student, 2018
Home Country: USA
Currently: Dulles High School Math & Science Academy
Hasham Dhakwala
College Student, 2018
Home Country: USA
Currently: Rice University
Pranav Narayanan
High School Student, 2019
Home Country: USA
Currently: Obra D. Tompkins High School
Daniel Fan
High School Student, 2019
Home Country: USA
Currently: Klein High School
Lea Berland
Observer – Medical Student, 2019
Home Country: France
Currently: Nice Medical University
Ram Bojja
High School Student, 2019
Home Country: USA
Currently: Michel E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions
Mireia Cruz De Los Santos
College Student, 2019
Home Country: Spain
Currently: University of Barcelona
Maria Antonescu
College Student, 2020
Home Country: USA
Currently: Texas A&M University
Joelle Kim
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Research Program, 2020
Home Country: USA
Currently: Baylor University
Matthew Anderson
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Research Program, 2020
Home Country: USA
Currently: Hillsdale College
Spencer Rothfuss
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Research Program, 2020
Home Country: USA
Currently: Hillsdale College
Romina Abel
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Research Program, 2020
Home Country: USA
Currently: California State University at Sacramento
Graduate Students
Manrique Alberto Guerrero
Graduate Research Assistant, 2008
MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Home Country: USA
Currently: Medical Student, University of Puerto Rico
Sumaiyah Khaleel Rehman
Graduate Research Assistant, 2008
MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Home Country: USA
Currently: Scientist, University Health Network, TX
David Rushworth
Graduate Student, 2008
Home Country: USA
Currently: Medical resident, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Maria Angelica Abdalla Cortez
Graduate Student (external), 2008
Home Country: Brazil
Currently: Instructor, Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, MD Anderson
Elisa Barbarotto
Research Intern, 2008
Home Country: Italy
Currently: High school teacher, Italy
Simona Rossi
Research Intern, 2008
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Bioinformatics Researcher, lOR Institute of Oncology Research, Bellinzona, Switzerland
Juliana K Bronk
Graduate Research Assistant, 2009
MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Home Country: USA
Currently: Medical Resident, Baylor College of Medicine
Raul Teruel
Graduate Student (external), 2009
Home Country: Spain
Currently: Postdoctoral fellow, University of Murcia, Spain
Fabiola Encinas Rosa
Research Intern, 2009
Home Country: Brazil
Currently: Group leader, University of Sao Paolo, Brazil
Jana Vilfan Ferdin
Graduate Student (external), 2009–2010
Home Country: Slovenia
Currently: Biologist, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Maria Ines Cunha Doutel Almeida
Graduate Student (external), 2009–2012
Home Country: Portugal
Currently: Postdoctoral fellow, University of Porto, Portugal
Lu Chen
Graduate Research Assistant, 2010
MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Home Country: USA
Franziska Haderk
Graduate Student (external), 2010
Home Country: Germany
Currently: Postdoctoral fellow, University of California San Francisco
Julia Neugebauer
Graduate Student (external), 2010
Home Country: Germany
Sara D'Andrea
Research Intern, 2010
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Scientist, Aviano Cancer Center, Italy
Rachel Marie Raia
Graduate Research Assistant, 2010–2011
MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Home Country: USA
Alexander Jethwa
Graduate Student (external), 2011
Home Country: Germany
Currently: Scientist, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg
Jaqueline Carvalho de Oliveira
Graduate Student (external), 2011
Home Country: Brazil
Currently: Professor in genetics, Federal University of Parana, Brazil
Vanesa Scholl
Graduate Student (external), 2011
Home Country: Argentina
Arif Momin
Research Intern, 2011
Home Country: USA
Ivan Vannini
Research Intern, 2011
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Researcher Instituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Meldola, Italy
Jana Vilfan Ferdin
Graduate Student (external), 2011–2012
Home Country: Slovenia
Currently: Biologist, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Aline Fernanda Ferreira
Graduate Student (external), 2011–2012
Home Country: Brazil
Currently: Biologist, University of Sao Paolo, Brazil
Roxana Simona Redis
Graduate Student (external), 2011–2013
Home Country: Romania
Currently: Scientist, ProQ Therapeutics, Netherlands
Luis D Borrero Garcia
Graduate Student (external), 2012
Home Country: Puerto Rico
Currently: Ph.D. Candidate at University of Puerto Rico
Stefan-Robert Tudor
Graduate Student (external), 2012
Home Country: Romania
Currently: Attending Surgeon, Department of General Surgery and Liver Transplantation Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
Tina Catela Ivkovic
Graduate Student (external), 2012–2013
Home Country: Croatia
Currently: Postdoctoral fellow, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
Lucilla D’Abundo
Graduate Student (external), 2012–2013
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Postdoctoral fellow, University of Ferrara, Italy
Naohiro Nishida
Graduate Student (external), 2012–2014
Home Country: Japan
Currently: Assistant Professor, Osaka University, Japan
Nazila Nouraee
Graduate Student (external), 2012–2013
Home Country: Iran
Currently: Postdoctoral Associate at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
Paloma Del C. Monroig-Bosque
Graduate Research Assistant, 2012–2015
MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Home Country: Puerto Rico
Currently: Resident, Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX
Maitri Yogen Shah
Rosalie B. Hite Graduate Research Assistant, 2011–2015
Home Country: India
Currently: Postdoctoral fellow
Anna Kristina Casasent
Graduate Research Assistant, 2013
MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Home Country: USA
Currently: Postdoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Michael Lehrer
Graduate Research Assistant, 2013
MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Home Country: USA
Kemly Mary Philip
Graduate Research Assistant, 2013
MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Currently: M.D./Ph.D. Candidate at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Beatriz De Melo Maia
Graduate Student (external), 2013
Home Country: Brazil
Currently: Fellow, The Human Genome Research Center, University of Sao Paolo, Brazil
Daniela Prudente Teixeira Nunes
Graduate Student (external), 2013
Home Country: Brazil
Currently: Fellow, Universidade de São Paulo, Centro Universitário de Votuporanga, Brazil
Nujud Al-Yousef
Research Intern, 2013
Home Country: Italy
Linette Castillo-Pichardo
Research Intern, 2013
Home Country: Puerto Rico
Currently: Assistant Professor, Universidad Central del Caribe, University of Puerto Rico
Kimberly Yoonmi Vincent
Graduate Student (external), 2013–2014
Home Country: USA
Juliana K Bronk
Rosalie B. Hite Graduate Research Assistant, 2013–2014
Home Country: USA
Currently: Resident, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Masahisa Ohtsuka
Graduate Student (external), 2014
Home Country: Japan
Currently: Surgeon and scientist, Osaka, Japan
Omer Fatih Yavuz
Graduate Student (external), 2014
Home Country: Turkey
Roxana Simona Redis
Research Intern, 2011–2014
Home Country: Romania
Currently: Scientist, ProQ Therapeutics, Netherlands
Barbara Pasculli
Graduate Student (external), 2014–2015
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Oncology, IRCCS "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza", San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy
Andreia Machado Silva
Graduate Student (external), 2014–2015
Home Country: Portugal
Currently: PhD student at i3S/INEB (Institute for Research and Innovation in Health and Institute of Biomedical Engineering), University of Porto, Portugal
Valentina Pileczki
Graduate Student (external), 2014–2016
Home Country: Romania
Currently: Scientist, UMF Cluj Napoca, Romania
Karthik Jayakumar
Graduate Student (external), 2015
Home Country: USA
Currently: Medical resident, University of Texas, Austin
Meng Chen
Research Intern, 2015–2016
Home Country: China
Currently: Research Assistant, Calin’s laboratory
Simona Ultimo
Graduate Student, 2016
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy
Recep Bayraktar
Graduate Student, 2016–2018
Home Country: Turkey
Currently: Research Assistant, Calin Lab
BaoQing Chen
Graduate Student, 2016–2018
Home Country: China
Xiao Fu
Graduate Student, 2016–2018
Home Country: China
Currently: Visiting fellow, Calin Lab
Nayra Soares do Amaral
Graduate Student, 2016–2018
Home Country: Brazil
Currently: External graduate student, Calin Lab
Diana Gulei
Graduate Student, 2017–2018
Home Country: Romania
Karthik Jayakumar
Graduate Student, 2015–2016
Home Country: USA
Currently: Resident, UT Medical Branch Galveston
Ana Mafra
Graduate Student, 2017–2018
Home Country: Brazil
Micheal Rivera-Robles
Graduate Student, 2017
Home Country: Puerto Rico
Claudia Vilardo
Graduate Student, 2017–2018
Home Country: Italy
Mihnea Dragomir
Graduate Student, 2017–2019
Home Country: Romania
Erika Zambalde
Graduate Student, 2017–2018
Home Country: Brazil
Meng Chen
Research Intern, 2015–2016
Home Country: China
Currently: Research Asst I
Pilar Mur Molina
Research Intern, 2016–2017
Home Country: Spain
Currently: Postdoctoral fellow, IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain
Kimberly Vincent
Research Intern, 2013–2014
Home Country: USA
Seyhmus Aydemir
Research Medical Student, 2016
Home Country: Turkey
Osman Kargin
Research Medical Student, 2015
Home Country: Turkey
Dana Giza
Rotating Resident Researcher, 2015–2016
Home Country: Romania
Currently: Attending physician at The University of Texas Science Center, Houston, TX
Wintana Balema
Rotating MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Student, 2018
Home Country: USA
Priyank Raj
Graduate Research Assistant, 2018–2019
MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Home Country: USA
Shumaila Zaib
Graduate Student (external), 2019–2020
Home Country: Pakistan
Currently: Fatima Jinnah Women University
Yan Lu
Graduate Student (external), 2019–present
Home Country: China
Carolina Mathias
Graduate Student (external), 2019–2020
Home Country: Brazil
Currently: Federal University of Parana, Brazil
Dalia Hassan
Rotating Graduate Student, 2020
MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Home Country: USA
Currently: Graduate Research Assistant, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Carlotta Pioppini
Graduate Student (external), 2020
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Sapienza University, Italy
Xu Liu, M.D.
Graduate Student
Home Country: China
Mingyi Zhou, M.D.
Graduate Student
Home Country: China
Dominik A. Barth, M.D.
Graduate Student
Home Country: Austria
Rares-Constantin Drula, M.Sc.
Graduate Student
Home Country: Romania
Leonie Ott, M.S.
Graduate Student
Home Country: Germany
Iman Sahnoune, B.S., M.A.
Ph.D. Candidate/Graduate Research Assistant, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Home Country: USA
Postdoctoral Fellows
Amelia Cimmino
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2003–2006
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Group leader, University Federico II Naples, Italy
Muller Fabbri
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2003–2006
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Associate Professor, University of Hawaii, Honolulu
Esmerina Tili
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2005–2007
Home Country: USA
Currently: Researcher, The Ohio State University
Arianna Bottoni
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2006–2007
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Researcher, The Ohio State University
Elisa Barbarotto
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2008
Home Country: Italy
Currently: High school teacher, Italy
Maria Angelica Abdalla Cortez
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2010–2011
Home Country: Brazil
Currently: Instructor, Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Lorenzo Falchi
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2011–2012
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Hematology/Oncology Fellow at Columbia University Medical Center
Hui Ling
Odyssey Fellow, 2011–2015
Home Country: China
Currently: Research assistant professor, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Katrien Van Roosbroeck
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2011–2015
Home Country: Belgium
Currently: Instructor, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Mariko Ikuo
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2012–2013
Home Country: Japan
Currently: Assistant professor, Tokushima University, Japan
Naohiro Nishida
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2013–2014
Home Country: Japan
Currently: Assistant professor, Osaka University, Japan
Yukie Sato Kuwabara
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2013–2014
Home Country: Japan
Currently: Company group leader, Brasil
Matin Pichler
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2013–2015
Home Country: Austria
Currently: Associate professor, Head of Research Unit "Non-coding RNAs and genome editing in cancer" University of Graz, Austria
Roxana Simona Redis
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2014–2015
Home Country: Romania
Currently: Scientist, ProQ Therapeutics, Netherlands
Masahisa Ohtsuka
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2014–2016
Home Country: Japan
Currently: Surgeon and scientist, Japan
Linda Fabris
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2014–2018
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Postdoctoral fellow, Calin laboratory
Marc Bullock David
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2014–2015
Home Country: England
Currently: Assistant professor of surgery, University of Southampton, UK
Maria Ines Cunha Doutel Almeida
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2015–2016
Home Country: Portugal
Currently: Postdoctoral fellow, University of Porto, Portugal
Simone Anfossi
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2015–2020
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Instructor, Calin Lab
Chunlai Li
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2017–2019
Home Country: China
Currently: Instructor, Calin Lab
Yongfeng Li
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2017–2018
Home Country: China
Maitri Yogen Shah
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2015–2017
Home Country: India
Currently: Associate at McKinsey & Company
Erik Knutsen
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2018–2019
Home Country: Norway
Currently: Postdoctoral researcher, The Arctic University of Norway
Huanyu Zhang
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2018–2019
Home Country: China
Jaroslav Juracek
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2020
Home Country: Czech Republic
Currently: Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
Melanie Winkle
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2020–2022
Home Country: Germany
Currently: Research Scientist, Evotec SE
Visiting Scientists
Bharti Jasra
Observer, 2007
Home Country: India
Sang Kil Lee, M.D., Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor, 2009–2011
Home Country: South Korea
Currently: Director, Division of External Affairs and Development Division of Media & Public Relations, Professor of Internal Medicine College of Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Eun-Jung Jung, Ph.D.
Visiting Associate Professor, 2009–2011
Home Country: South Korea
Currently: Associate professor, Gyeongsang National University, South Korea
Reinhold Munker, M.D.
Adjunct Associate Professor, 2010–2011
Home Country: USA
Currently: Associate professor, Louisiana State University
Cheng-Chan Lu, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor, 2010–2011
Home Country: China
Currently: Professor, Taiwan
Su Youn Nam, M.D., Ph.D.
Visiting Scientist, 2010–2012
Home Country: South Korea
Currently: Associate professor, Kyunpook National University of Medical School, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea
Tetsuro Setoyama, Ph.D.
Visiting Scientist, 2010–2012
Home Country: Japan
Currently: Surgeon and scientist, Kagoshima University, Japan
Pablo E Vivas-Mejia, Ph.D.
Visiting Associate Professor, 2011
Home Country: Puerto Rico
Currently: Assistant professor, University of Puerto Rico
Enid Inhye Ahn, M.D.
Rotating Resident Researcher, 2011–2012
Home Country: South Korea
Currently: Clinician, fellow, NCI/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
Gyeong-Won Lee, Ph.D.
Visiting Associate Professor, 2012–2013
Home Country: South Korea
Currently: Professor, Gyeongsang National University, Chinju, South Korea
Guo Zhiyi, Ph.D.
Visiting Associate Professor, 2012–2013
Home Country: China
Currently: Professor, Hebei United University, China
Yoshiaki Kita, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor, 2012–2014
Home Country: Japan
Currently: Surgeon and scientist, Japan
Cristiana Lo Nigro, Ph.D.
Observer, 2013
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Scientist, Cuneo, Italy
Maria Ines Cunha Doutel Almeida, Ph.D.
Visiting Research Collaborator, 2014
Home Country: Portugal
Currently: Postdoctoral fellow at the University of Porto, Portugal
Dana Giza, M.D.
Rotating Resident Research, 2014–2015
Home Country: Romania
Currently: Attending physician at The University of Texas Science Center, Houston
Alexandra Irimie, D.D.S.
Visiting Assistant Professor, 2014–2015
Home Country: Romania
Currently: Assistant professor, UMF Cluj Napoca, Romania
Jun Qian, Ph.D.
Visiting Associate Professor, 2014–2015
Home Country: China
Currently: Professor, China
Ioana Berindan, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor and Fulbright fellow, 2014–2016
Home Country: Romania
Currently: Professor and research director, UMF Cluj Napoca and Oncologic Institute, Romania
Osman AYKAN Kargin
Research Medical Student, 2015
Home Country: Turkey
Currently: Medical student, Turkey
Daniela D’Angelo
Visiting Research Collaborator, 2015
Home Country: Italy
Daisuke Matsushita, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor, 2015–2016
Home Country: Japan
Currently: Surgeon and scientist, Osaka, Japan
Keishi Okubo, M.D.
Visiting Scientist, 2016–2018
Home Country: Japan
Peng Shen, M.D.
Visiting Scientist, 2016–2017
Home Country: China
Xiuying Yan, M.D.
Visiting Associate Professor, 2016–2017
Home Country: China
Guoliang Huang
Visiting Associate Professor, 2017–2019
Home Country: China
Barbara Pardini
Visiting Scientist, 2018–2019
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Fulbright Fellow
Sherien ElDaly
Visiting Scientist, 2019
Home Country: Egypt
Liat Shoham, M.D.
Visiting Scientist
Home Country: Israel
Classified Staff and Faculty
Milena Niocoloso, M.D.
Research Investigator, 2009–2010
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Physician scientist, Molecular Oncology Division, Department of Experimental Therapeutics; CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy
Riccardo Spizzo, M.D.
Research Investigator, 2009–2010
Home Country: Italy
Currently: Junior investigator, Molecular Oncology Division, Department of Experimental Therapeutics; CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy
Hui Ling, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, 2015–2018
Home Country: China
Currently: Principal scientist, Bioverativ Inc., Waltham, MA
Katrien Van Roosbroeck, Ph.D.
Instructor, 2015–2018
Home Country: Belgium
Currently: Senior coordinator, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Enrique Fuentes Mattei
Instructor, 2015–2019
Home Country: USA
Currently: Program Manager, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Cristina Ivan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, 2015–present
Home Country: Romania
Currently: Research assistant professor, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Chunlai Li, Ph.D.
Instructor
Home Country: China
Recep Bayraktar, M.S.
Research Assistant II
Home Country: Turkey
Currently: Ph.D. Student, Calin Lab
M. Diana Qian
Research Laboratory Manager
Home Country: China