Nikos Tapinos, MD/PhD

Email: nikos_tapinos@brown.edu

I was born and raised in Athens, Greece. I did my MD and PhD at the Medical School of the University of Athens. During my PhD I studied molecular mechanisms of autoimmunity and was one of the first to employ differential display technology to discover a strain of Coxsackie B4 virus as a potential cause of Sjogrens syndrome. After finishing my studies in Greece, I joined The Rockefeller University as a postdoctoral fellow where I published seminal papers regarding mechanisms of demyelination and regeneration in the nervous system. Currently I am an endowed associate professor at Brown University focusing on RNA epigenetics and chromatin dynamics in oncology. Our work has generated 18 patent applications and I am the founder of two startup companies aiming to translate our scientific breakthroughs into novel therapies for cancer, neurodegenerative conditions and obesity.

John P. Zepecki, MS

Ph.D. Student in the Pathobiology graduate program at Brown University

Email: john_zepecki@brown.edu

Adrianne Corseri, BS

Ph.D. student in the Neuroscience graduate program at Brown University

Email: adrianne_corseri@brown.edu

Mattia Pizzagalli, BS

MD/PhD student at Warren Alpert Medical School / Pathobiology graduate program of Brown University

Email: mattia_pizzagalli@brown.edu

Hello, I am Mattia. Originally from Switzerland, grew up mostly in US and went to Boston College for undergrad. I worked in a lab studying the mitochondrial proteome and the modification of its cysteine-residues. After graduating with a Biochem degree, I moved to Vienna, Austria for two years where I studied Solute Carrier Proteins and helped develop a PROTAC molecule targeting solute carriers. In the Tapinos Lab I am adapting culture methods with the goal of creating an accurate cerebral organoid with which to study GBM invasion and development. In my free time I love to play basketball, go on hikes and rock climb.

Owen Leary, BS

MD/PhD student at Warren Alpert Medical School / Pathobiology graduate program of Brown University

Email: owen_leary@brown.edu

I’m Owen, originally from Rhode Island (and still here!).

I graduated from Brown in 2018 with a degree in Biomedical Engineering & Neuroscience, and have spent several years studying the clinical applicability of various patient imaging modalities in the diagnosis and treatment of brain and spine diseases. I joined the Tapinos lab interested in further exploring the pathobiology, diagnosis, and treatment of primary cancers of the brain and spine. This summer, I am investigating the possibility of tracking disease status through quantification of peripherally circulating miRNAs in patients with glioblastoma. Outside of lab, I love traveling, gardening, watching movies, and hanging out with my cats, Basil & Tilly

Hyeyeon Hwang, BS

PhD student in the Computational Biology at Brown University

Email: hyeyeon_hwang@brown.edu

I'm Hyeyeon! I received my bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the University of California, Davis. As an undergrad and then a Junior Specialist in the LaSalle Lab, I contributed to analysis pipelines for studies on the epigenetics of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder. My current research interests lie at the intersection of epigenetics, neuroscience, and machine learning. Co-advised by Dr. Ritambhara Singh, I am interested in developing and applying genomic analysis tools that are based on machine learning algorithms.

Undergraduate Students:

Lindsey Hayward

Daniel Lee

Viva Voong

Shiven Sasipalli

Graduated Lab Members:

Margot Martinez Moreno - Currently Assistant Professor at Brown University

Charlotte Guetta Terrier - Currently Senior scientist at Chugai Pharmabody in Singapore

Blessing Akobundu - Currently Postdoctoral Fellow at Merck

Yusuke Suita - Currently Postdoctoral Fellow at Seattle Children’s Hospital

Ola Hassan

Kristin Fregoso

David Karambizi