Watowich Lab Members
Vivian L. Smith Distinguished Chair in Immunology
Professor and Deputy Chair
Department of Immunology
Email Dr. Watowich
Sara Meril, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Email Sara
My research endeavors revolve around deepening our comprehension of dendritic cell biology within the context of tumor development, as well as enhancing dendritic cell-based cancer therapy. Additionally, I am passionate about leveraging advancements in cell engineering to manipulate the tumor microenvironment, thereby bolstering dendritic cell infiltration and potency in combating cancer.
Ariel Nash, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Email Ariel
I am interested in solid tumor pathology and the immunological response to the tumor microenvironment. My research work involves cDC1 vaccines, specifically investigating their role in the tumor microenvironment and in the recruitment of T cells.
Bhakti Patel, Ph.D.
Instructor
Email Bhakti
My research interests lie in understanding the anti-inflammatory role of STAT3 in bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDM) and hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function. I am further interested in determining transcriptional targets of STAT3 in HSCs and myeloid cells, to elucidate the mechanism by which STAT3 protects HSCs and BMDMs from inflammation-induced DNA damage.
Josu¨¦ Pineda
Ph.D. Student (co-mentored with Dr. Matt Gubin)
Email Josu¨¦
My research interests are in dendritic cells and cancer vaccines. For my doctoral project, I am elucidating the role of MHC class I and MHC class II antigen presentation by tumor-specific CD103+ dendritic cell vaccines.
Morgan Riba
M.D./Ph.D. Student (co-mentored with Dr. Cassian Yee)
Email Morgan
My research interests include dendritic cell biology, cancer vaccines and cell-based immunotherapies. My project involves exploring and manipulating the diversity of T cell responses to cDC1-based vaccination strategies. I¡¯m working to understand how changes in the T cell landscape drive a clinically relevant immune response to murine tumor models in vivo.
Sarah Schneider
Ph.D. Student
Email Sarah
Immune related toxicities occur in the majority of patients treated with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. My research focuses on understanding the role of the innate immune system and the gut microbiome in ICB-associated colitis.
Yang (Maggie) Zhou
Ph.D. Student
Email Yang
My research interest lies in understanding how the gut microbiome influences adverse events?related to cancer immunotherapy. My work focuses on exploring microbial translocation and mapping microbial¨Cimmune cell interactions within and beyond the gut.?
Watowich Lab Alumni
Prior Postdocs
Allision Dyevoich, Ph.D., 2020¨C2022
Current: Medical Science Liaison, Amgen
Eiji Esashi, Ph.D., 2/2005¨C1/2009 (co-supervision with Dr. Yong-Jun Liu)
Current: Director and Executive General Manager, SBI Biotech Co, Toyko
Haiyan Li, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., 4/2008¨C8/2013
Current: Research Scientist, Pharmacyclics, Sunnyvale, CA
Yusra Medik, M.D., 2018¨C2021
Current: Medical Resident, Rutgers ¨C RW Johnson Medical School
Khaoula Ouchen, Ph.D., 12/2023¨C3/2025
Elizabeth Park, Ph.D.
Xianxiu Wan, Ph.D., 2019¨C2020
David K. Wooten, Ph.D., 11/1998¨C3/2000
Current: Partner, Tumey LLP, Intellectual Property Law, Houston, TX
Huiyuan Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., 4/2007¨C8/2013
Current: Assistant Professor, The National Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Clinical Cancer Center, Sichuan University, China
Yifan Zhou, Ph.D., 2017¨C2023
Current: Research Scientist, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou
Prior Clinical Fellows
Natalie Slone, D.O., 9/2016¨C6/2018
Current: Hospitalist, Hematology, Oncology, and Blood & Marrow Transplant Department, Nationwide Children¡¯s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
Prior Students
Donghoon Yoon, Ph.D., 4/1999¨C6/2004
Current: Assistant Professor of Medicine, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas
Donna Badgwell, Ph.D., 4/1999¨C8/2004
Athanasia Panopoulos, M.S., Ph.D., 6/1999¨C8/2007
Current: Gallagher Family Assistant Professor of Stem Cell Biology, University of Notre Dame
Jack Bevers III, M.S., 6/2002¨C7/2004
Current: Senior Scientific Researcher at Genentech, South San Francisco, CA
Hoainim Nyugen-Jackson, Ph.D., 11/2004¨C7/2011
Current: Teacher, Seven Lakes High School, Katy, TX
Nathanial Greeley, M.S., 5/2011¨C8/2012
Current: Researcher, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | CHOP ¡¤ Department of Neurology
Rachel Babcock, Ph.D., 1/2018¨C5/2022
Current: Postdoctoral Fellow, Texas Tech University
Taylor Chrisikos, Ph.D., 9/2017¨C9/2021
Current: Postdoctoral Fellow, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Laura Kahn Serrudo, Ph.D.,&²Ô²ú²õ±è;1/2020¨C12/2024
Prior Undergraduates
Keysha Lopez Vega
University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
U54 UPR Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2010¨C7/2010
Allison Matthews
Mt. Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2011¨C8/2011
YeJi Jun
Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2011¨C8/2011
Allison Bloom
Brown University
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2012¨C8/2012
Marisa Luck
Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2012¨C8/2012
Elisabeth Massey
Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2013¨C8/2013
Emily Hillmer
Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2014¨C8/2014
Jessica Wilder
Rice University, Houston, Texas
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2014¨C8/2014
Malavika Suresh
Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2016¨C8/2016
Katherine Ortell
Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2017¨C8/2017
Oleksandr Kyrysyuk
Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2018¨C8/2018
Emma Lederer
Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2019¨C8/2019
Katherine Nowak
Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2021¨C8/2021
Bailey Harmon
Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2021¨C8/2021
Meredith Klay
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2023¨C8/2023
Wanying Na
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 6/2023¨C8/2023
Katie Meyerholz
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 06/2024-08/2024
Megan Smith
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 2025
Esme Song
CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Student, 2025