Meet Our People
We recognize the individual value that each QSBC member contributes to the center’s overall success. Each member brings their strengths and we encourage a collaborative yet demanding atmosphere to try and solve complex systems biology questions for the ultimate benefit of patients.
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Faculty
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Grad Students & Post-Docs
The QSBC Director
Vito Quaranta, MD
QSBC Director
QSBC Director
1) Tumor Heterogeneity
2) Drug Sensitivity Metrics
3) Computational Modeling
4) Big Data Analysis
Lab Site
2) Drug Sensitivity Metrics
3) Computational Modeling
4) Big Data Analysis
The Faculty Members
Scott Guelcher, PhD
QSBC Associate Director
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
School of Engineering
VU
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
School of Engineering
VU
1) Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
2)Professor of Medicine
3)Director of the Center for Bone Biology
Lab Website
2)Professor of Medicine
3)Director of the Center for Bone Biology
Edward Saff
QSBC Associate Director
Mathematics
College of Arts and Science
VU
Mathematics
College of Arts and Science
VU
1) Approximation Theory
2) Potential Theory
3) Energy Models for Tissue Formation
Web Site
2) Potential Theory
3) Energy Models for Tissue Formation
William Holmes, PhD
QSBC Associate Director
Physics and Astronomy
College of Arts and Science
VU
Physics and Astronomy
College of Arts and Science
VU
1) Pattern formation and spatial organization.
2) Stochast dynamics and gene regulation.
3) Mathematical modeling in cognitive neuroscience.
Bio
2) Stochast dynamics and gene regulation.
3) Mathematical modeling in cognitive neuroscience.
Rebecca Ihrie, PhD
Dept. of Cell & Developmental Biology
School of Medicine Basic Sciences
VU
School of Medicine Basic Sciences
VU
1) Identifying clinically significant cells using high-dimensional data.
2) Using per-cell measurements of signaling to dissect stem cell biology.
3) Mapping the effects of tumor location on cell behavior.
Lab Site
2) Using per-cell measurements of signaling to dissect stem cell biology.
3) Mapping the effects of tumor location on cell behavior.
Alissa Weaver, MD, PhD
Dept. of Cell & Developmental Biology
School of Medicine Basic Sciences
VU
School of Medicine Basic Sciences
VU
1) Regulation of migration and Invasion by exosomes.
2) Role of tumor cell EVs in cancer aggressiveness and metastasis.
3) EVs as cancer biomarkers in liquid biopsies.
Lab Site
2) Role of tumor cell EVs in cancer aggressiveness and metastasis.
3) EVs as cancer biomarkers in liquid biopsies.
Mariann Piano, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAHA
Center for Research and Scholarly Development
School of Nursing
VUMC
School of Nursing
VUMC
1) Cardiovascular health.
2) Unhealthy and hazardous drinking.
3) Young adult health.
Bio
2) Unhealthy and hazardous drinking.
3) Young adult health.
Gregor Neuert, PhD, MEng
Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
School of Medicine
VU
School of Medicine
VU
1) How cells regulate genes in physiologically relevant dynamic and stochastic environments.
2) Computationally model and predict single cell behavior to gain novel biological insight.
Lab Site
2) Computationally model and predict single cell behavior to gain novel biological insight.
Consuelo Wilkins
Exec. Dir. Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance
Associate Prof. of Medicine
Meharry Medical College VUMC
Meharry Medical College VUMC
Developing and supporting collaborative initiatives and programs in biomedical research, community engagement, and interprofessional learning.
Bio
Carlos F. Lopez, PhD
Biochemistry
School of Medicine
VU
School of Medicine
VU
1) Information flow across multiple scales.
2) Understanding mechanistic origins of cell decisions and cellular commitment to a given fate.
3) Modeling frameworks to model/simulate cellular processes developed in the lab.
Lab Site
2) Understanding mechanistic origins of cell decisions and cellular commitment to a given fate.
3) Modeling frameworks to model/simulate cellular processes developed in the lab.
Jacob Hughey, PhD
Department of BioMedical Informatics
School of Medicine
VUMC
School of Medicine
VUMC
1) Circadian rhythms.
2) Intersection of electronic health records and genomics.
3) Scientific publishing.
Lab Site
2) Intersection of electronic health records and genomics.
3) Scientific publishing.
Nicole Creanza, PhD
Biological Sciences
Biochemistry
School of Medicine
VU
Biochemistry
School of Medicine
VU
1) Evolution of learned behaviors.
2) Quantitative analyses of bird songs and human languages.
3) Mathematical modeling of genetic and cultural evolution.
Lab Site
2) Quantitative analyses of bird songs and human languages.
3) Mathematical modeling of genetic and cultural evolution.
Johnathan M. Irish, PhD
Cell & Developmental Biology
School of Medicine
VU
School of Medicine
VU
1) Single cell molecular profiling of cancer.
2) Machine learning cell identity.
3) Human immune cell biology.
Lab Site
2) Machine learning cell identity.
3) Human immune cell biology.
Shane Hutson, PhD
Physics & Astronomy
College of Arts and Science
VU
College of Arts and Science
VU
1) Mechanics of morphogenesis
2) Epithelial wound detection and cellular responses
3) Toxicology using organ-on-chip systems
Bio
2) Epithelial wound detection and cellular responses
3) Toxicology using organ-on-chip systems
Christine Lovly, MD, PhD
Hematology-Oncology
Ingram Associate Professor of Cancer Research
1) Mechanisms of primary and secondary (acquired) resistance to anti-cancer therapies.
2) Genomic and proteomic analyses of tumor heterogeneity.
3) Translational lung cancer research from bedside to bench and back.
Twitter @christine_lovly
Lab Site
2) Genomic and proteomic analyses of tumor heterogeneity.
3) Translational lung cancer research from bedside to bench and back.
Twitter @christine_lovly
Naohiko Koshikawa, PhD
Department of Life Science and Technology
Tokyo Institute of Technology
Tokyo Institute of Technology
1) Cancer biology (invasion and metastasis).
2) Cancer diagnostics.
3) Mathematical oncology.
Lab Site
2) Cancer diagnostics.
3) Mathematical oncology.
Ken Lau, PhD
Cell & Developmental Biology
School of Medicine
VU
School of Medicine
VU
1) Interaction between epithelium and microbiome
2) Cell states in stem cells and development
3) The origins of cancers
Lab Site
2) Cell states in stem cells and development
3) The origins of cancers
Glenn Webb, PhD
Mathematics
College of Arts and Science
VU
College of Arts and Science
VU
1) Mathematical models of epidemics.
2) Mathematical models of tumor growth.
3) Mathematical models of biological age.
Bio
2) Mathematical models of tumor growth.
3) Mathematical models of biological age.
John Wikswo, PhD
Physics and Astronomy
College of Arts and Science
VU
College of Arts and Science
VU
1) Organs-on-a-chip
2) Microfluidics
3) Cancer Research
Bio
2) Microfluidics
3) Cancer Research
Leonard Harris, PhD
Biomedical Engineering
College of Engineering
University of Arkansas
College of Engineering
University of Arkansas
1) Phenotypic plasticity and non-genetic heterogeneity in anticancer drug response.
2) Multiscale modeling of complex intracellular signaling pathways and cell-cell interaction networks.
3) Intrinsic stochasticity in cell fate decisions.
Lab Site
2) Multiscale modeling of complex intracellular signaling pathways and cell-cell interaction networks.
3) Intrinsic stochasticity in cell fate decisions.
Mike Neamtu, PhD
Mathematics
College of Arts and Science
VU
College of Arts and Science
VU
Ann Tate, PhD
Biological Science
College of Arts and Science
VU
College of Arts and Science
VU
1) Evolutionary Immunology
2) Infectious Disease Ecology
3) Life History Evolution
4) Mathematical and Computational Modeling
Bio
2) Infectious Disease Ecology
3) Life History Evolution
4) Mathematical and Computational Modeling
Brian Bachmann, PhD
Chemistry
College of Arts and Science
VU
College of Arts and Science
VU
Mark Ellingham, PhD
Mathematics
College of Arts and Science
VU
College of Arts and Science
VU
Douglas Hardin, PhD
Mathematics
College of Arts and Science
VU
College of Arts and Science
VU
1) Interacting particle systems and agent-based models.
2) Machine learning with biomedical applications.
3) Magnetic inverse problems.
2) Machine learning with biomedical applications.
3) Magnetic inverse problems.
Maulik Patel, PhD
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Science
VU
College of Arts and Science
VU
1) Evolutionary and transmission dynamics of mitochondrial mutations.
2) Multi-level selection.
3) Homeostasis mechanisms.
2) Multi-level selection.
3) Homeostasis mechanisms.
Jamey Young, PhD
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
School of Engineering
VU
School of Engineering
VU
1) Metabolic modeling and flux analysis
2) Diabetes, obesity, and metabolic diseases
3) Biomanufacturing
2) Diabetes, obesity, and metabolic diseases
3) Biomanufacturing
Emily Hodges, PhD
Biochemistry
School of Medicine
VU
School of Medicine
VU
1) Integrating epigenomics and patient data to understand enhancer function.
2) Understanding DNA methylation in gene regulation and cellular differentiation.
3) Deciphering cis versus trans determinants of enhancer function.
2) Understanding DNA methylation in gene regulation and cellular differentiation.
3) Deciphering cis versus trans determinants of enhancer function.
Akram Aldroubi, PhD
Mathematics
College of Arts and Science
VU
College of Arts and Science
VU
1) Harmonic analysis
2) Functional analysis
3) Wavelet theory
4) Frame theory
5) Sampling Theory
6) Approximation Theory
7) Image Processing
8) Biomathematics
Web Site
2) Functional analysis
3) Wavelet theory
4) Frame theory
5) Sampling Theory
6) Approximation Theory
7) Image Processing
8) Biomathematics
Prof. Gianluigi Giannelli
Director of the National Institute of Gastroenterology
Bari, Italy
Bari, Italy
1. Hepatobiliary cancer (HCC, CCA)
2. Tumor/host interaction
3. Liver fibrosis
4. Development of new therapeutic strategies for Hepatobiliary cancers.
5. Life style and clinical outcome
Institute Web Site
2. Tumor/host interaction
3. Liver fibrosis
4. Development of new therapeutic strategies for Hepatobiliary cancers.
5. Life style and clinical outcome
Grad Students, Post Docs, & Trainees
Samantha Beik
Lopez/Quaranta Lab
Geena Ildefonso
Quaranta Lab
Kavya Sharman
Caprioli Lab
Asa Brockman
Ihrie Lab
Rebecca Embalabala
Ihrie Lab
Laura Geben
Ihrie Lab
Mary Bronwen Chalkley
Ihrie Lab
Jason Hughes
Neuert Lab
Akshitkumar Mistry
Ihrie Lab
Bret C. Mobley
Ihrie Lab
Julia Gallagher
Ihrie Lab
Rohit Khurana
Ihrie Lab
Dora Obodo
Weaver Lab
Todd Bartkowiak
Ihrie Lab
Patty Ozawa
Weaver Lab
Phillip Stauffer
Quaranta Lab
Clayton Wandishin
Quaranta Lab
Kazi Tasneem
Hutson Lab
Aaron Stevens
Hutson Lab
Bob Chen
Lau Lab
Lizandra Jimenez
Weaver Lab
Annie Wandishin
Research Assistant
John Vastola
Holmes Lab Alumnus
Cole Zmurchok
Holmes Lab
Matthew Murrow
Holmes Lab
Nate Hermann
Hutson Lab