People

Hui Zong, PhD

Associate Professor
B.S., Fudan University M.S., Fudan University Ph.D., Indiana University

Email: hz9s@virginia.edu
Phone: 434.982.1956

Office Location: Jordan Hall 7042

Ying Jiang, PhD

Research Scientist
B.S., Fudan University M.S., Fudan University Ph.D., Indiana University

Email: yj2p@virginia.edu
Phone: 434.982.0074

I am studying the role of microglia and astrocytes in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of medulloblastoma, a type of pediatric brain cancer, with a strong interest in the modulation of neuro-immunology, especially innate immunity.

Wenjie Liu, PhD

Email: xep3yf@virginia.edu

My work focuses on brain tumor immunology and development of novel microbiome based brain cancer immunotherapeutics.

Piotr Przanowski, PhD

Email: piotr.przanowski@gmail.com

My work focuses on brain tumor immunology and development of novel microbiome based brain cancer immunotherapeutics.

(co-mentor with Kevin Janes)

Xian Zhou, PhD

Email: krt9kk@virginia.edu

I am studying immune surveillance at the pre-malignant stage of triple-negative breast cancer

Alexys Riddick

Graduate Student
B.S., North Carolina A&T State University
Email: atr8f@virginia.edu

I am studying cancer prevention with a MADM-based triple negative breast cancer model.

Elaina Ball

Graduate Student
Email: xsw7cr@virginia.edu

I am studying the innate immune system and its interaction with pre-malignant cells during the development of breast cancer with the MADM model.

Catalina Alvarez Yela (co-mentor with Kevin Janes)

Graduate Student
Email: aca9pw@virginia.edu

I’m excited to study breast cancer through the lens of systems biology. I love interdisciplinary and translational research.

Jeffrey Hsu (co-mentor with Kevin Janes)

Graduate Student
Email: uem3ed@virginia.edu

I am using multiplex imaging to study the tumor-immune microenvironment in premalignant triple-negative breast cancer

Yen Nguyen

Graduate Student
B.A., UC Berkley
Email: yn4by@virginia.edu

I am studying the impact of tumor-associated microglia and local cytokines on the progression of brain tumors.

Aishani Patnaik

Undergraduate Student
Email: srz5ph@virginia.edu

I’m working on brain tumor research under the guidance of Dr. Ying Jiang

Ambrey Hayes

undergraduate researcher
Email: aeh9gfw@virginia.edu

I am interested in understanding pre-malignant progression of triple negative breast cancer to shed light on cancer prevention strategies

Timour Abduhalikov

Undergraduate Student

Alyssa Kelder

Undergraduate Researcher

Brit Ventura, PhD

former graduate student

Eli Casarez

Laboratory Specialist

Chong Liu, PhD

Research Scientist

Sai Gajula

Email: skg2ect@virginia.edu

I am interested in homeostasis and functions of microglia in the brain

Guoxin Zhang

Research Associate
B.S., Nanjing University; Ph.D., Nanjing University

Ping He

Visiting Graduate Student
B.S., Jiling University, ChinaEmail: ph4wd@virginia.edu

I am testing a chemo-prevention strategy against BRCA1-mutated breast cancer with the MADM system.

Jungeun Kim, Ph.D.

Research Associate
PhD University of VirginiaEmail: jk9te@virginia.edu

I’m interested in OPC competition and studying the molecular mechanism of OPC competition in glioblastoma.

Maojin Yao, Ph.D.

Research Associate

Bryan Nolasco

Undergraduate Student
Email: bjn3gn@virginia.edu

I am studying the mechanism of tumor-to-TME cell trans-differentiation in medulloblastoma, under the guidance of Ray Zeng.

Phil Gonzalez

Graduate Student

Pitia Flores Ledur

visiting graduate student

Sarah Alberstein

undergraduate researcher

Shua Jeong

Undergraduate Student

I am studying the impact of pregnancy on breast cancer risks using a MADM-based BRCA1-mutated mammary tumor mouse model.

Tiffany Shand

Graduate Student
B.A., Chemistry, Brooklyn College CUNY

Ph.D., University of Virginia

Postdoctoral Fellow, Emory University

Bing Xu