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 4^th 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 3^rd 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 2^nd 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.

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.

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

• Ezgi Kasimoglu, MS
• 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

• Katherine Quintero, Drexel University
• 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

 
Contact Us

Ajit Lab
Pharmacology and Physiology Department, Drexel University College of Medicine
245 North 15th Street, Mail Stop 488, Philadelphia, PA 19102
   215.762.2218 |    215.762.2299 (Fax) |   ska52@drexel.edu

 
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