Lab Members

Peter M. Grace, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Email: PGrace@mdanderson.org

Dr. Peter Grace is associate professor and chair ad interim of the department of Symptom Research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Grace obtained his Ph.D. in medicine, which was awarded with a Dean’s commendation, at the University of Adelaide, Australia. His training in neuroimmunology continued as an NHMRC CJ Martin postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Linda Watkins at the University of Colorado Boulder. During this time, his research focused principally on the innate immune mechanisms of neuropathic pain and on how morphine interacts to exacerbate such pain. The goal of the Grace Lab, established in 2016, is to understand the neuroimmune mechanisms of chronic pain and its control.

Dr. Grace was the recipient of the the PsychoNeuroImmunology Research Society Robert Ader New Investigator Award (2018), the Brain and Behavior Foundation Young Investigator Award (2019), the Rita Allen Foundation Award in Pain (2019), and the MD Anderson President’s Recognition of Faculty Excellence in Research (2022).

Rajasekaran Mahalingam, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Dr. Mahalingam is a skilled bioinformatics scientist specializing in the analysis of bulk and single-cell RNA and DNA sequencing data. He has worked on projects covering human heart failure and intestine and lung stem cells, and he is currently focusing on unraveling the cellular mechanisms and transcriptomic changes associated with chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment and neuropathy.

Beyond the lab, Raja enjoys badminton and tennis, indulges in reading, and explores the wonders of nature—evidence of a harmonious blend of scientific expertise and personal passions.

Anand K. Singh, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist

Dr. Singh is a neuroscientist with more than 15 years of experience in preclinical drug testing and regulatory affairs. During his postdoctoral fellowship at Linkoping University, he investigated the neurocircuitry of the affective dimension of inflammatory pain. Currently, he handles multiple projects on chemotherapy treatment, assessing neurotoxic side effects, and reverse translation of a small molecule inhibitor targeting oxidative phosphorylation as an anticancer strategy.

Nathan T. Fiore, Ph.D.
Research Scientist

Dr. Fiore brings to the Grace Lab a substantial research background in the fields of neuroscience and neuroimmunology. In his Ph.D. program at the University of Sydney, he used rodent models of neuropathic pain and neuropathy to identify individual differences in behavior and corresponding neuroimmune signatures at multiple levels of the nervous system; he also investigated immune system dysfunction in patients with chronic pain. He completed his postdoctoral training in the Neuropathic Pain Research group at the University of New South Wales, where his research focused on identifying unique sex-specific microglial signatures and the effects of immunomodulatory treatments in mouse models of peripheral nerve injury and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

In the Grace Lab, Dr. Fiore is investigating the role of B cells in the development of neuropathic pain, with a particular focus on the pro-nociceptive role of IgG after peripheral nerve injury.

Vipul K. Pandey, B.S., Ph.D.
Research Scientist

Dr. Pandey joined the Grace Lab in April 2023. He is an immunologist by training, with more than 10 years of experience in cancer immunology. He completed his Ph.D. at Homi Bhabha National Institute in Mumbai, India, where he worked toward understanding the mechanism of dysfunction in dendritic cells (DCs), a key component of anti-tumor immune response in tumor microenvironments. He also studied the effect of radiation on DC function and the role of adjuvants in DC-based cancer immunotherapy. In the Grace Lab, he is investigating perturbation in the clearance of apoptotic cells in chronic inflammation at the site of peripheral nerve injury and its role in causing neuropathic pain.

Outside the lab, Vipul enjoys playing cricket, reading books and exploring new places.

Ajeena Ramanujan, Ph.D.
Research Scientist

Dr. Ramanujan received her Ph.D. in biotechnology from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India. She completed her postdoctoral research in neurobiology at National University of Singapore in the laboratory of Professor Carlos F. Ibanez. She joined the Grace Lab in August 2023 to study the role of HDAC6 inhibitors in reversing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Fátima Rivera Escalera, Ph.D.
Research Scientist

Dr. Rivera Escalera joined the Grace Lab in May 2023. She received her Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Rochester in 2015. Her Ph.D. thesis examined the contribution of CCR2+ monocytes and resident microglia to IL-1b-mediated amyloid plaque clearance in a mouse model of Alzheimer disease. She then completed postdoctoral training at both the University of Virginia and the University of Rochester, where she focused on neuroimmunology, immunology, macrophage biology, inflammation, and cancer immunotherapy. In the Grace Lab, she is investigating the NRF2-KEAP1 pathway in modulating oxidative stress in neuropathic pain and cancer-related chronic pain.

Tusar K. Acharya, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Acharya completed his Ph.D. in life sciences from the National Institute of Science Education and Research in Odisha, India. This institute is an autonomous organization under the Department of Atomic Energy of the Government of India. His Ph.D. research focused on thermosensitive (TRP) ion channels in various cellular functions. In November 2023 he joined the Grace Lab, where he is investigating the role of B cells in the regulation of neuropathic pain.

In his leisure time, Tusar likes to listen to music and watch movies.

Nabila Boukelmooune, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Boukelmoune joined the Grace Lab in May 2022. She obtained her M.Sc. in biomedical sciences and physiology from the MD Anderson UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston and her Ph.D. in neuroscience and neuroimmunology from Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Her doctoral research centered on exploring the regenerative capacities of mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment and peripheral neuropathy. Her current work in the Grace Lab aims at understanding the neuroimmune mechanisms underlying the development of chronic pain, with a focus on B-cell and T-cell contributions to neuropathic pain conditions.

Outside of work, Nabila likes drawing and painting, cooking, and exploring Houston’s diverse culinary scene and selection of museums.

Rafael A. Cazuza, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Cazuza joined the Grace Lab in October 2021. He earned his Ph.D. in psychobiology from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil; his dissertation focused on the roles of gaseous neuromodulation in inflammatory pain and emotional behavior. His current research investigates the glial modulation of neuropathic pain affect—more specifically the role of microglia in the development of pain-induced depressive-like symptoms—by using advanced brain microsurgeries and chemo genetic techniques. His main goal is to develop research strategies to elucidate how painful conditions can generate emotional disorders.

Kendal F. Willcox, M.S.
Senior Research Assistant 

Kendal completed her M.S. in biomedical science at Marian University in Indianapolis, Indiana shortly before joining the Grace Lab in August 2020. In the lab, she studies neuroimmune mechanisms that contribute to the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain after peripheral nerve injury, with a particular focus on the role of humoral immunity. Additionally, she acts as laboratory coordinator and is involved with day-to-day lab maintenance and organization.

Outside of work, Kendal enjoys dancing, painting, baking and spending time with her cat, Cersei.

David M. Ruiz, B.S.
Research Assistant II

David joined the Grace Lab in September 2022 after earning a bachelor’s degree in biology from Boston University. In his undergraduate research, he investigated the presence of antibiotic resistance in marine sediment. In the Grace Lab, David studies the role of the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway in modulating oxidative stress and as a therapeutic for neuropathic pain.

Outside of the lab, David enjoys music, playing sports, and trying new restaurants.

Jonathan B. Iketem, B.S.
Research Assistant I

Jonathan earned his B.S. in neuroscience and psychology from UT Dallas in spring 2022. As a member of the Price Lab at UT Dallas, he studied pain plasticity, looking at peripheral nociceptive neurons after injury and working with novel therapeutics to either reverse or prevent chronic pain states. One of his main undergraduate projects entailed knocking out a transcription initiation factor in a murine model of multiple sclerosis to prevent the development of a chronic pain state during a stressful event.

Jonathan joined the Grace Lab in April 2024 and is now studying the role of the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway in modulating oxidative stress and as a therapeutic for neuropathic pain.

In his free time, Jonathan likes to play with his cats, listen to music, and play guitar.

Sever M. Zagrai, B.S.
Research Assistant I

Sever graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in biomedical sciences and an M.S. in science and technology journalism, the latter of which he completed while employed in the Grace Lab. His research in the lab focuses on the glial interactions that contribute to the development of depression-related symptoms (motivational and emotional deficits in particular) after neuropathic injury or pain. This requires the use of brain microsurgery, behavioral assays, and chemogenetic techniques. He aspires to pursue a Ph.D. in a related field (most likely neuroscience).

In his free time, Sever likes to write, play, and study music, and he enjoys watching The Sopranos and Arrested Development on repeat. He also likes to cook.

Younus A. Zuberi, B.S.
Research Assistant I

Younus joined the Grace Lab in July 2022 after earning a B.S. in biology with a concentration in microbiology from the University of Houston-Downtown. His undergraduate research focused on isolating and annotating novel bacteriophages and the effect of antibiotics on the growth of bacteria in planktonic and biofilm states. In the Grace Lab, he is investigating the role of efferocytosis at the site of peripheral nerve injury and its effect on neuropathic pain.

In his free time, Younus enjoys reading, playing video games, and enjoying time with his pet parrots.

Anamaria R. Grieco
Undergraduate Research Volunteer

Anamaria is a senior at Rice University, where she is majoring in neuroscience and philosophy. She joined the Grace Lab in Spring 2022 and primarily studies microglial involvement in depression-like symptoms due to neuropathic pain. After graduating, she hopes to continue her involvement with neuroscience research and eventually to attend medical school.

In her free time, Anamaria enjoys reading, testing out new recipes and hiking with her friends.
 

Taylor M. Newton
Undergraduate Research Volunteer

Taylor is a senior at the University of Houston-Downtown, majoring in biology (concentrating on microbiology) and minoring in chemistry. She plans to attend medical school after graduation. She is very interested in pursuing an M.D./Ph.D. with an emphasis in a surgical specialty. Currently, Taylor is interested in gaining meaningful research experience in different disciplines. Within the Grace Lab, she is helping to investigate the role of the adaptive immune system in neuropathic pain.

Outside of the lab, Taylor’s interests include knitting/crocheting, reading, and listening to music.

Fisher Cherry, B.S.
Fisher served as a research assistant II in the Grace Lab. He is now pursuing a graduate degree in genetics and genomics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

Dorsa Dayani, M.D.
Dr. Dayani was a Clinical Research Scientist in the Grace Lab from January 2023 to August 2024, after which she joined UT Health. She is a medical graduate from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Her research focuses on immune interactions in chronic pain. Her goal is to use translational research to develop novel therapies for chronic pain.

Jazzmine Junigan, B.S.
Jazzmine was a research assistant in the Grace Lab while earning her bachelor's degree from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions. She is now a cytogenic technologist for Labcorp, where she performs karyotyping, cellular analysis and genetic analysis.

Michael Lacagnina, Ph.D.
Dr. Lacagnina completed his postdoctoral research training and was promoted to instructor during his time in the Grace Lab. He is now an assistant professor in the department of Anesthesia at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he investigates neuroimmune interactions in chronic pain.

Jiahe Li, Ph.D.
Dr. Li was a research scientist in the Grace Lab.

Sabrina J. Portilla, B.S.
Sabrina was a Research Assistant I in the Grace Lab from April 2023 to April 2024. She earned her B.S. in biological and physical sciences from the University of Houston-Downtown. 

Mohd Sami Ur Rasheed, Ph.D.
Dr. Rasheed joined the Grace Lab as a Postdoctoral Fellow in November 2020. He studied the role of Nrf2 in peripheral neuropathy as part of an NIH R01 grant, investigated the opioid sparing effects of an FDA-approved drug as part of the NIH HEAL initiative program, and was part of a large team working to develop pathology-activated drugs for the treatment of neuropathic pain as part of an NIH UG3 grant. His long-term vision is to develop non-opioid–based drugs for treating neuropathic pain with little to no side effects. In August 2024, Sami joined the lab of Dr. Camilla Svensson at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.

Jixiang Zhang, Ph.D.
Dr. Zhang was a research scientist in the Grace Lab. He is now a research scientist with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.