Current Lab Members
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Motahareh Arjomandnejad
Academic Role: Visiting Scholar
Education:
BSc: Cellular and Molecular Biology, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran
MS: Biotechnology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
PhD: Medical Biotechnology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran (2014-)
PhD: Immunology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA (2019-)A limiting factor in the widespread application of gene therapy is the induction of an immune response. In systemic Adeno Associated Virus (AAV) gene therapy, there is an immune response to both the AAV vehicle and the introduced transgene. My project focuses on generation of chimeric antigen receptor regulatory T cells (CAR-Tregs) to suppress an immune response against AAV gene therapy and the introduced transgene.
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Meghan Blackwood
Academic Role: Research Associate II
Education: BS - Biology, UMass Dartmouth
Joinied the Flotte Lab in 2020
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Ishani Dasgupta
Academic Role: Postdoctoral Associate
Education:
PhD - Molecular and Cell Biology, Nanyang Technological University
MS - Biotechnology, University of Calcutta
BS - Microbiology, University of Calcutta
Ishani also serves as the Events Director of Central Mass chapter of AWIS (Association for Women in Science)
Joined the Flotte Lab in 2020
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Tommy Nixon
Academic Role: Research Technician
Education: BA - Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross
Joinied the Flotte Lab in 2019
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Katelyn Sylvia
Academic Role: Lab Manager/Research Associate II
Education: BA - Biology, College of the Holy Cross
Joined the Flotte Lab in 2019
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Qiushi Tang
Academic Role: Sr. Research Scientist
Education: MS - Biochemistry, Jilin University
BS - Chemistry, Jilin University
Working on recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy vectors for alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AAT). Focusing on dual-function AAV vector to augment wild-type(M-AAT) with simultaneous mutate AAT( Z-AAT) knockdown in a transgenic mouse model. My other focus is on NSG-PiZ humanized mouse model to provide a platform for future studies of both cell based and genetic therapies of AAT deficiency
Joined the Flotte Lab in 2001