Elvin completed his undergraduate studies at Heidelberg University in Germany. Afterwards he studied at Cornell University and subsequently went to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to complete his PhD with Dr. Greg Hannon working on mouse models of breast cancer. He then moved to Toronto, Canada to start his postdoctoral studies with Dr. John Dick. There, he used genome editing technologies to create better models of human leukemia and focused on Down syndrome associated childhood leukemia. Outside the lab, Elvin enjoys time with his family. If Elvin was not in the research field, he would be an airline pilot crisscrossing the world.

Subrina is our Research Laboratory Manager. She is very passionate about expanding her knowledge and skills while supporting the Wagenblast team! While attending The City College of New York, Subrina worked as an Aquatics Director where she gained communication and management skills. After graduating with her Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology she then studied Neuroscience as a Research Technician at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. During this time, she developed expertise in lab operations, image analysis, and the confocal microscope. When Subrina is not in the lab, she enjoys trying different cuisines, biking, and spending time with her family. If Subrina was not in the research field, she would be running her own Guyanese restaurant where she could also display art, as well as, have song and dance performances that would appreciate the roots of Guyana’s culture.

Ke is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Wagenblast lab. He obtained his PhD from Peking University in China working on transplant immunology. His work focused on the role and mechanism of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in regulating graft versus host disease in the setting of hematopoietic stem cell transplants. During this time, he became an expert in using humanized mouse models to drive research into the clinical setting. With great interest in leukemia, he joined the Wagenblast lab where he is dedicated to explore the pathogenesis of childhood leukemia and identify potential therapeutic targets. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, running, basketball, table tennis, and billiards. If Ke was not in the research field, he would be a farmer with his own farm living a quiet and peaceful life with his family and dogs, horses, cows, and sheep.

Miguel is a postdoctoral fellow at the Wagenblast lab. He obtained his PhD in the Department of Hematology from the University of Salamanca (Spain), focused in the study of chronic lymphocytic leukemia genetics. Specifically, he used genome editing approaches to generate novel in vitro models that helped uncover targetable dependencies of this type of leukemia. To continue his research path in the field of hematological oncology, he joined the Wagenblast lab to pursue the generation of better models that faithfully recapitulate the steps of childhood leukemia origin and development. Outside the lab, he enjoys traveling, hiking and discovering new restaurants and nightlife events with friends. If Miguel was not on the research field, he would be a travel journalist, backpacking the world to explore remote places, photograph marine wildlife and hike up the highest mountains.

Clifford is a Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellow currently in his 2^nd year of subspecialty training. He attended Tufts University for his undergraduate studies where he obtained a B.S. in Biochemistry and graduated magna cum laude; during that time he was also an undergraduate researcher at the Tufts Molecular Oncology Research Institute at Tufts Medical Center. He went on to obtain his M.D. at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine, where he engaged in clinical research in the Department of Medical Oncology which involved data collection and analyses on patients in the Brooklyn area with colon cancer. He then completed his Pediatrics Residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he participated in a quality improvement project to improve care for sickle cell patients presenting in acute pain in the pediatric emergency department. Clifford is very interested in pediatric leukemia research plans to pursue a career as an academic oncologist with a focus in leukemia/lymphoma. He is very passionate about improving treatments for pediatric AML through research, which prompted him to join the Wagenblast lab. In his free time Clifford enjoys playing basketball (big LeBron James Fan), staying active, playing video games (Zelda, Final Fantasy) and hanging out with friends. If he was not in the research field, Clifford would have pursued a career as a HS chemistry teacher. 

Mimi is a graduate student in the Wagenblast lab. She earned a B.S. in neuroscience and cognitive studies from Vanderbilt University, focusing on improving classroom learning efficiency and investigating the intergenerational neurodevelopmental changes in mouse offspring resulting from long-term use of oral contraceptives. Subsequently, she obtained an M.A. in biotechnology from Columbia University, where she studied the proliferation/quiescence decision of normal, cancerous, and stem cells. She is interested in continuing her research in cancer biology, specifically childhood leukemia, in the Wagenblast lab. In her leisure time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, attending concerts, and exploring various restaurants. If Mimi were not in the research field (and not a human being at all), she would love to be a tree, enjoying the breeze and sunshine with her plant and animal neighbors.

Nikita completed her bachelor’s in Biochemistry and master’s in Bioinformatics from India. Before joining BiNGS, she worked in University of Helsinki, Finland where she gained experience in analyzing bulk RNA-seq, ATAC-seq and ChIP-seq data to understand the changes in gene expression and chromatin accessibility during the direct conversion of human fibroblasts to pancreatic epithelial cells. She also have primary exposure in dissecting complex datasets like CUT&RUN, CUT&Tag, HiChIP, ChIP-nexus, STARR-seq, small interfering RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-seq data to decipher the role of transcription factors in endodermal lineage-specific cancers. When not in the lab, she enjoys cooking, dancing and exploring new places. If not in the research field, she would be a mathematics teacher in middle school.

Grace is an Associate Researcher in the Wagenblast Lab. She received a BA from Barnard College in Cellular and Molecular Biology. She is interested in cancer research and passionate about studying novel therapeutic targets. Grace hopes to pursue a PhD in the field of cancer biology following her time in the lab. Outside of the lab, she enjoys running in the park, playing soccer, reading, exploring the city, and trying new restaurants with her friends. If Grace were not in the research field, she would be a professional soccer player playing for the US Women’s National Team! 

Izzie is an associate researcher in the Wagenblast lab. She graduated from Barnard College with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Gender studies, where she studied the genetic basis of mate choice behaviors in fruit flies. Izzie joined the lab in the summer of 2024 and is interested in learning more about the genetic and developmental context of leukemogenesis. Following her time in the lab, Izzie hopes to pursue an advanced medical degree with a focus in women’s health. Besides research, Izzie enjoys knitting, reading, and live music. If she were not in the biomedical research field, Izzie would be a librarian.

Hello! I’m Zayna, I’m a junior in college majoring in biology and this is my first lab experience, so I’m very excited to be a part of the ongoing research! I’m originally from Florida and I love drawing and soccer. If I wasn’t in the research field, I’d probably be a storyboard artist or writing movie scripts.

Manny is a Volunteer Researcher in the Wagenblast Lab. He is currently a junior at Columbia University studying Biology and Statistics, but he is originally from New Jersey. This is his very first experience in a lab and he is very excited to finally be participating in research. Manny hopes to pursue either an MD or a PhD (or both) in the future. Outside of the lab, he loves to play tennis, read, practice bass guitar, and watch movies. If Manny was not in the research field, he would probably be a zoologist, making friends with all the animals of the world!

My name is Imani Henry. I am a rising senior at Richard R. Green High School of Teaching located in lower Manhattan. During my first three years of high school, I was exposed to various scientific courses and labs. Through these courses, I learned about hands-on research and laboratory studies which allowed me to gain a better understanding of our environment’s interaction with water, air and living organisms. As the environment changes in interval lapses of time, I have become aware of the impact of science and interested in the biology and ecology underlying these changes. I aim to enroll as a pre-medicine student with the goal of attending medical school and pursuing pediatrics. I expect this plan to change or integrate to other areas of scientific discovery. However, with an open mind, I believe “what’s for you, will be for you”, regardless of the path I chose. I participated in the inaugural TCI Sparked Program in 2024, a Summer Program Advancing Research Knowledge and Education for Diversity, and now continue to work in the Wagenblast lab. If I decided to not pursue the research field or medical field I would potentially own my own art or dance studio.

Shaun graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Biology from Pace University. He worked as a Research Associate in the Wagenblast lab between 2022 – 2024 where he supported ongoing experiments and took on new projects enhancing the current understanding of the genetic basis of childhood leukemia. Shaun is passionate about bioinformatics and computational biology. He is currently pursuing his doctoral degree at Mount Sinai. Shaun enjoys reading, jogging, and listening to his beloved podcasts. If Shaun was not in the research field, he would be a creative writer living in a beach house in Maine.

Meghana was a Research Assistant between 2023 – 2024. She got her undergraduate medical degree from Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences in Bangalore, India. She has worked in hospitals as a Medical Officer combating the COVID-19 pandemic. She also worked as a Research Assistant for the angiogenic biomarker study for the detection of early-onset Preeclampsia. She completed her MS in Clinical Research at Mount Sinai. She is extremely passionate about Internal Medicine and wants to pursue her residency. Outside the lab, she loves cooking, baking, and meeting new people. She loves to sing and dance. If Meghana was not in the medical research field, she would have been a professional Carnatic-style violinist, touring the world and giving concerts in the biggest arenas.

Natalia was a 2024 summer intern in the Wagenblast lab. She is currently a senior at Oral Roberts University majoring in Biology and minoring in Biochemistry. At ORU, she works as a research assistant where she investigates the selective toxicity of medicinal mushroom secretions against glioblastoma brain cancer cells. She also serves as president of her school’s research club, Tribeta Mu Kappa, which encourages the next generation of college students to pursue research. In her free time, she loves to spend time with friends, thrift shop, and play pickleball. If she was not in the research field, she would be a small animal veterinarian.

I am a junior at Virginia Tech majoring in Microbiology and was a summer student in 2024. I am interested in learning about pathology as well as genetic diseases. When I am not in school, I enjoy playing soccer, running, and watching sports. Cancer research is intriguing to me because of the various solutions and therapies that exist for the many types of cancers. If I was not doing research in the lab I would play professional soccer.

Kathy was a summer intern in 2023. She is currently a junior at Rice University majoring in biochemistry and minoring in medical humanities. She previously interned in a neuroscience lab, where she learned fundamental research skills and discovered her interest in scientific research. She regularly volunteers at Ben Taub Hospital in Houston, Texas, where she screens patients for the social determinants of health, provides resources, and medically discharges patients. She is also a member of a research committee that aims to implement effective and accessible patient education programs. She plans to pursue a career as a physician scientist. Kathy enjoys baking and cooking, playing water polo, and going on walks with her dog. If she was not in the medical research field, she would be a whitewater rafting instructor.