Team CHM

Immunology

Team CHM

Complex Human Ex Vivo Models of Tissue Inflammation

Arteries play a crucial role in maintaining health and are compromised in various diseases, from diabetes to hypertension. Yet, in vitro, arterial models represent an unmet need to understand disease progression and develop therapeutics. Our group is bridging this gap by generating a 3D in vitro system with sufficient complexity to recapitulate key characteristics of disease onset, progression, and resolution. We will deploy this organotypic human arterial model to identify key markers of disease progression and test promising therapeutics with the long-term goal of advancing patient treatment. Our model can be applied to many forms of vasculitis, including giant cell arteritis, an aging-associated inflammatory disease that can cause stenosis or aneurysm of the affected arteries and lead to sudden blindness.

Mentors
  • Dr. Sarah Wilson (Industry Mentor)
    Principal Research Scientist I, Pharmacology and Pathology, AbbVie
  • Prof. Dr. Carla Rothlin (Academic Mentor)
    Dorys McConnell Duberg Professor of Immunobiology and Professor of Pharmacology; Co-Leader, Cancer Immunology, Yale Cancer Center, Yale University

The research of this team is kindly supported by AbbVie.

Our Team Members

Dr. Alicia Cutler

Group Leader

 Short Bio
  • 2022 – 2023: Research Associate, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology Department, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
  • 2017 – 2022: Postdoc in stem cell biology with Prof. Brad Olwin, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
  • 2012 – 2017: PhD in Biochemistry with Prof. Grace Pavlath and Prof. Anita Corbet, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Dr. Shyama Sasikumar

Postdoctoral Researcher

 Short Bio
  • 2023 – 2024: Postdoctoral researcher, Matrix-Heal Pvt Ltd, Center for Healthcare Entrepreneurship, Hyderabad, India
  • 2022 – 2023: Research Associate, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, India
  • 2017 – 2022: Doctorate in Biomedical Engineering with Dr. Falguni Pati and Prof. Peter Kingshott, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, India, and Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
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Dr. Zhouquan (Harry) Fu

Postdoctoral Researcher

 Short Bio
  • 2018 – 2023: PhD in Mechanical Engineering with Dr. Wei Sun, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
  • 2017 – 2018: Research Assistant, Biofabrication Laboratory, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
  • 2012 – 2016: Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
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Angelica Phelan

Research Assistant

 Short Bio
  • 2019 – 2024: Bachelor of Applied Science in Biomedical Engineering specializing in Cellular Bioengineering from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • 2022 – 2023: Research Assistant, Tanentzapf Lab, UBC Life Sciences Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada LinkedIn
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Serena Lucarelli

Research Assistant

 Short Bio
  • 2023 – 2024: Scientist supporting Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals in Ridgefield, CT
  • 2018 – 2022: Bachelor’s in Biology from Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, NY
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Team CHM Alumni

At BioMed X we care for the people who work with us. Staying in touch with those who left but mainly contributed to BioMed X’s success is key. That’s why they have their designated place on our website. So let’s keep connected!

Jack Parker

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Sarah Majin

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