Â鶹ӳ»­

Professor & Chair,?Ad Interim
Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention
Phone: 713-563-9840
Email:?EVilar@MDAnderson.org

Krishna Sinha, Ph.D.
Senior Research Project Manager
2019¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Phone: 713-794-3881 
Email: KSinha@MDAnderson.org

Dr. Krishna M. Sinha, a senior research project manager, oversees the design, supervision and execution of research projects while contributing to grant writing. His work centers on basic and translational research, aiming to develop neoantigen-based vaccines to prevent Lynch syndrome (LS)-associated cancers. He also explores the epigenetic regulation of LS neoplasia and seeks immuno-stimulatory agents or drugs that could advance cancer therapeutics.

Jacklyn Thompson, M.S.
Senior Research Assistant
2023¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Phone: 713-745-6996
Email: JVThompson1@MDAnderson.org

Jacklyn Thompson, M.S., is a senior research assistant who manages the PA12-0327 non-interventional study, handling patient consent, specimen collection and visit documentation. She oversees clinical records and lab data across multiple trials, ensuring proper specimen organization and regulatory compliance. Jacklyn also supports lab operations with expertise in mouse colony maintenance, clinical specimen processing and general technical assistance.

Mahira Zaheer, B.S.
Research Laboratory Coordinator
2021¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Phone: 713-563-9840
Email: MAZaheer@MDAnderson.org

Mahira Zaheer is the research laboratory coordinator responsible for overseeing daily lab operations, including supply management and vendor coordination. She processes clinical trial samples ¡ª blood and tissue ¡ª with precision and protocol compliance. Mahira maintains mouse colonies for experimental use and supports lab experiments with technical expertise. She also trains and onboards new lab members, ensuring adherence to safety standards and procedural consistency.

Fahriye Duzagac, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
2021¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Phone: 713-564-6245
Email:?FDuzagac@MDAnderson.org

Dr. Fahriye Duzagac focuses on developing neoantigen-specific immune prevention strategies for Lynch syndrome and mismatch repair-deficient cancers. She integrates single-cell transcriptomics, TCR sequencing and microfluidic tumor models to uncover biomarkers of immune surveillance and guide next-generation vaccine approaches. Contributing to MD Anderson¡¯s PreCancer Atlas, she applies multi-omics tools to study immune tolerance and precancer transitions. Her research has been recognized with multiple national awards from CPRIT, NCI and AACR, reflecting her commitment to advancing preventive immunotherapies that intercept cancer before it emerges.

Abel Martel Martel, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
2023¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Phone: 713-563-9840
Email: AJMartel@MDAnderson.org

Dr. Abel Martel-Martel is leading research on neoantigen vaccination strategies to intercept Lynch syndrome-associated colorectal cancer. He investigates immune landscapes using single-cell spatial transcriptomics and proteomics and evaluates therapeutic compounds with patient-derived organoids and preclinical models. His translational work advances targeted prevention and treatment approaches for hereditary colorectal cancer.

Nan Deng, Ph.D.
Data Scientist
2020¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Phone: 713-745-7332
Email: NDeng1@MDAnderson.org

Nan Deng, Ph.D., is a data scientist specializing in high-throughput sequencing analysis, including whole-exome sequencing (WES), RNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics. He manages data deposition workflows and computational pipelines to ensure efficient processing and analysis. His research interests focus on computational detection of microsatellite instability (MSI) and its implications for neoantigen discovery.

Supriya Nagaruju
Graduate Research Assistant and Ph.D. Candidate
UT Health Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
2023¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Email: SNagaraju@MDAnderson.org

Supriya Nagaraju, M.S., is a Ph.D. candidate in Cancer Biology at the MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. She leads a multi-omics study on Lynch syndrome, integrating genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic data to uncover early immune evasion and identify targets for colorectal cancer prevention. Using patient-derived organoid models, she investigates molecular drivers of tumor initiation and progression, aiming to inform precision interception strategies in high-risk hereditary cancer.

Omar Hayat
M.S. Candidate, Diagnostic Genetics Program
UT MD Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions
2025¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Email:?OHayat@MDAnderson.org

Omar Hayat, M.Phil., is a researcher at MD Anderson pursuing an M.S. in diagnostic genetics and genomics. He leads a multidisciplinary project on familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), exploring semaglutide¡¯s cancer-preventive potential. Using organoid cultures and mouse models, he studies GLP-1RA¡¯s impact on tumor progression and immune responses. His work integrates scRNA-seq, cytokine profiling and microbiome metagenomics to uncover early molecular changes that could guide future colorectal cancer prevention strategies.

Gulzar N. Daya, M.S.
Graduate Research Assistant
UT Health Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
2025¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Email:?GNDaya@MDAnderson.org

Gulzar Daya is a Ph.D. candidate in quantitative sciences at the MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. She leads AI-driven projects integrating single-cell RNA sequencing and digital pathology to study immune surveillance and neoantigen presentation in Lynch syndrome. Her work supports the MD Anderson PreCancer Atlas project, analyzing tissue architecture evolution and developing tools to stratify adenomas by progression risk and predict tumor immune tone from histology and single-cell data.

Maureen M. Mork, M.S., C.G.C.
Senior Genetic Counselor
2013¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù?
MEMork@MDAnderson.org

Maureen Mork, M.S., C.G.C., is a senior genetic counselor specializing in hereditary colorectal and gastrointestinal cancer syndromes. She provides genetic counseling to patients and families, collaborates with high-risk care providers and identifies candidates for research studies. Her research focuses on early-onset colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer and hereditary GI cancer syndromes.

?

Araceli Garcia Gonzalez, M.D., Ph.D.
Clinical Studies Supervisor
2024¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Phone: 713-792-0278
Email: AGGarciaG@MDAnderson.org

Dr. Araceli Garcia Gonzalez, a clinical studies supervisor, leads patient recruitment and education for Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) studies, ensuring protocol alignment. She coordinates patient visits, specimen collection and care management to support biospecimen quality. Additionally, she oversees regulatory compliance and monitoring for both interventional and non-interventional studies, ensuring adherence to institutional policies, federal regulations and sponsor requirements.

Elizabeth Letona
Clinical Studies Coordinator
2024¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Phone: 713-792-3913
Email: EGonzalez11@MDAnderson.org

Elizabeth Letona, M.D., is a clinical studies coordinator who ensures regulatory compliance and monitoring for studies PA12-0327 and 2022-0117. She manages screening across multiple trials, including 2022-0367 and OCA, and works closely with investigators and clinical teams to support patient enrollment and uphold study integrity throughout all phases of execution.

Elson Mendoza
Clinical Studies Coordinator
2024¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Phone: 713-745-9585
Email: ERMendoza@MDAnderson.org

Elson Mendoza is a clinical studies coordinator focused on recruiting and educating patients with Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) for clinical trials. He oversees patient visits across various protocols, coordinating care and specimen collection to ensure high-quality bio-specimens for laboratory analysis.

Riya Kottoor
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
2024¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Phone: 713-745-1022
Email: RTKottoor@MDAnderson.org

Riya Kottor, is a nurse practitioner for Dr. Vilar's clinic who manages cancer patients throughout treatment, focusing on symptom control and quality of life. She collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to coordinate diagnostics, treatment and follow-up care. Riya also educates patients on their diagnosis, therapies like chemotherapy and immunotherapy and self-care strategies, while offering emotional support and referrals to palliative or supportive services.

Karen Colbert, M.B.A, B.S.
Scientific Project Director
2021-present
Phone: 713-563-5387
Email: KLColbert@MDAnderson.org

Karen Colbert, M.B.A., B.S., is a Scientific Project Director overseeing key initiatives at MD Anderson, including the PreCancer Atlas and Dr. Vilar¡¯s Hereditary Colorectal Cancer (H-CRC) Universal Germline Testing program. She plays a pivotal role in coordinating research efforts and advancing genetic testing strategies for colorectal cancer prevention.

Jennifer Kinnison, M.B.A., B.S.
Administrative Director, Research Programs
2015¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Phone: 713-563-2756
Email: JLKinnison@MDAnderson.org

Jennifer Kinnison, M.B.A., is the administrative director responsible for managing key operational areas such as grant administration, compliance and resource allocation. She acts as a vital liaison among investigators, institutional departments and external collaborators to ensure the success and efficiency of research initiatives.

Vanessa Rangel
Executive Assistant
2024¨C±è°ù±ð²õ±ð²Ô³Ù
Phone: 713-794-4531
Email: VRRangel@MDAnderson.org

Vanessa Rangel is the executive assistant who coordinates lab-wide meetings and individual appointments, manages travel logistics including bookings and reimbursements and delivers comprehensive administrative support. She plays a key role in ensuring smooth daily operations across the lab.