Current Lab Members
Xuan Luo
Xuan is a postdoctoral researcher. Her project investigates how small extracellular vesicles resolve pain and impart epigenetic immune memory in recipient mice spinal microglia. She received a MS degree in drug discovery & development from Drexel University College of Medicine and is currently pursuing a minor in bioinformatics.
Jason Wickman
Jason is a postdoctoral researcher. His project investigates immune contributions to chronic pain diseases including complex regional pain syndrome. He is also studying the role of long noncoding RNA Xist. He received a MS in pharmaceutical science from Northeastern University.
Deepa Reddy
Deepa is a 4th year PhD student in the Pharmacology & Physiology program. Her research focuses on small extracellular vesicles as a therapeutic for post-operative pain and inflammation, and their underlying epigenetic and immune mechanisms. She received a BS in neuroscience from The George Washington University in 2021 and a MS in pharmacology & physiology from Drexel University College of Medicine in 2023.
Jason DaCunza
Jason is a 3rd year PhD student in the Molecular & Cell Biology & Genetics program. His project primarily involves understanding and characterizing small extracellular vesicles released by bone-marrow-derived macrophages during pain. He received a BS in biochemistry from Rowan University in 2021 and started his master’s work at Drexel University in the fall of 2022.
Isaac Turkson
Isaac is a 2nd year PhD student in the Pharmacology & Physiology program. His research focuses on the role of small extracellular vesicles in the transition from acute to chronic pain. He holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Ezgi Kasimoglu
Ezgi is a research assistant and our lab manager. She is currently studying the role of long noncoding RNA Xist in rodent models of pain. She graduated from Temple University in 2020 with a MS in neuroscience.
Yuzhen Tian
Tian is a research associate in the Pharmacology & Physiology department. She specializes in various animal models and assists several PIs in the department to generate rodent models, perform surgical procedures and support behavioral testing.
Katherine Quintero
Katherine is an undergraduate student at Drexel University. She is studying the role of long noncoding RNAs in pain and inflammation.
Faith Clark
Faith is an undergraduate student at Drexel University. She is studying how miRNAs mediate inflammation and pain using in vitro approaches.
Past PhD Students
Jason Wickman, PhD
Pharmacology & Physiology 2019-2024
Thesis title: From biomarkers to bench: Identification of a therapeutically targetable resident memory T cell population in a mouse model of complex regional pain syndrome
Xuan Luo, PhD
Pharmacology & Physiology 2019-2024
Thesis title: Immune regulation by small extracellular vesicles in attenuating inflammatory pain
Richa Pande, PhD
Microbiology & Immunology, 2018-2023
Thesis title: Role of macrophage derived small extracellular vesicles in T cell mediated resolution of inflammatory pain
Zhucheng Lin, PhD
Pharmacology & Physiology, 2017-2022
Current Position: Scientist, Hangzhou Jiayin Biotechnology, China
Thesis title: The role of serum-derived small extracellular vesicles in pain
Renee Jean-Toussaint, PhD
Pharmacology & Physiology, 2014-2019
Current Position: Scientist, Eisai Inc, Exton, PA
Thesis title: Exosome-mediated neuro-immune communication in chronic pain
Botros Shenoda, MD, PhD
Pharmacology & Physiology, 2012-2017
Current Position: Clinical Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine Physician, Abington Jefferson Health
Thesis title: A role for Xist in the regulation of inflammatory response by female cells
Melissa Manners, PhD
Pharmacology & Physiology, 2011-2016
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Neuroscience, Saint Joseph’s University (former University of the Sciences), Philadelphia
Thesis title: The role of MeCP2 in pain and its regulation by miRNAs
Past Postdoctoral Fellows
Richa Gupta, 2019-2021
Sujay Ramanathan, 2015-2019
Marguerite McDonald, 2012-2014
Past Masters Students
Jason DaCunza, MS, Molecular & Cell Biology & Genetics, 2022-2024
Deepa Reddy, MS, Pharmacology & Physiology 2021-2023
Xuan Luo, MS, Drug Discovery and Development, 2017-2019
Christian Czmielewski, MMS, 2012-2013
Kathryn Capasso, MMS, 2011-2012
Past Undergraduate Students
Ayush Parikh, STAR (Students Tackling Advanced Research) Scholar, Drexel University, 2016-2019
Joyce Zhang, MD/BS Program, STAR Scholar, Drexel University, 2015
Andrew Touati, MD Student, Summer Research, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2014
Rushi Thanawalla, STAR Scholar, Drexel University, 2014
Andrew Touati, MD/BS Program, Drexel University, 2012-2013
Sabrina Douglas, STAR Scholar, Drexel University, 2012-2016
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