TEAM
Chair, Department of Microbiology
Jan T. Vilcek Professor of Molecular Pathogenesis
Alexandria Center for Life Sciences - West Tower
430 East 29th Street
Office Rm. 503, Lab Rm. 560
New York, NY 10016
Office: (212) 263-1080
Lab: (212) 263-1081
Email: Jeffrey.Weiser@nyulangone.org
JEFFREY N. WEISER, MD
Education:
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B.S. (Biological Sciences) Stanford University, 1979
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M.D. Harvard University, 1984
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Resident in Pediatrics, University of Washington, 1984-87
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Research Fellow, Oxford University, 1987-89
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Research Associate, Rockefeller University, 1989-92
Faculty appointments:
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Professor of Microbiology and Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (through 12/31/14)
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Jan T. Vilcek Professor of Molecular Pathogenesis, New York University School School of Medicine (2015 - )
SURYA AGGARWAL
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
EDUCATION:
PhD in Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, 2020
I'M FROM: Punjab, India
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:
Understanding microbial and host factors that influence pneumococcal adaptation, colonization and transmission
FUN FACT:
I've lived on four continents.
KRISTEN LOKKEN-TOYLI
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
EDUCATION:
PhD in Microbiology, UC Davis
I'M FROM: Minnesota
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:
Elucidation of host factors that drive susceptibility to upper respiratory tract infections in children; identification of age-related differences in mucosal defense mechanisms.
FUN FACT:
I had a fear of needles so I became a phlebotomist.
MATTHEW MONTGOMERY
GRADUATE STUDENT
EDUCATION:
BS in Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh, 2015
I'M FROM: New Jersey
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:
Exploring the roles of Streptococcus pneumoniae produced neuraminidases with respect to upper respiratory tract colonization and transmission, as well as the host factors that respond to these enzymes' activities.
FUN FACT:
I once drove a forklift as an undergrad for some extra spending money.
CINDY WU
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
EDUCATION: Sc.B in Neuroscience, English; Brown University ‘22
I'M FROM:
Los Angeles, California
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:
1) neuroinflammation and its contribution to the mechanisms and pathologies underlying neurodegenerative diseases
2) relationship between pneumococcal capsule size and its characteristics of virulence, transmission success, and ability to evade clearance by the immune system
3) medical illustration and clinical presentations of diseases portrayed in art throughout history
FUN FACT:
I love to bake and am a certified hot yoga instructor!
CHERN WEI 'GAVYN' BEE
GRADUATE STUDENT
EDUCATION:
BS in Biological Sciences, Cornell University ‘16
I'M FROM: Penang, Malaysia
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:
Understanding how systemic innate immunity at different ages of an organism (i) is functionally primed and (ii) factors into microbial susceptibility.
FUN FACT:
Guess who’s a firstborn of his generation on both sides of the family? (Also, I love carrot juice with milk – it’s a popular drink from where I’m from! :P )
SHEYA XIAO MA
GRADUATE STUDENT
EDUCATION:
ScM in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University ‘20
I'M FROM: Taiyuan, China
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:
Understanding microbial factors that drive competition between co-colonizing pneumococci
FUN FACT:
I am a totally harmless peace lover addicted to perfect crime fiction and movies.
MILA ORTIGOZA
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
EDUCATION:
Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai '11
Doctor of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai '13
I'M FROM:
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:
Understanding the biology of transmission of influenza virus and other respiratory pathogens.
FUN FACT:
I am a mother of 2 beautiful girls, and am a citizen of 3 countries.
JIAQI "LUCAS" ZHU
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
EDUCATION:
BSc in Biology, Haverford College '22
I'M FROM:
Suzhou, China
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:
Investigating the role pneumococcal capsule plays in its colonization and transmission
FUN FACT:
I'm invested in a lot of things (I'm a classical guitarist-also a music minor as an undergrad, a soccer player, a not-so-bad cook, and a polyglot wannabe) but sort of a jack of all trades.
HANNES EICHNER
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
EDUCATION:
MSc in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bremen 2015
PhD in Medical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet 2021
I'M FROM: Leipzig, Germany
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:
Communications between molecular players within a cell (prokaryotic or eukaryotic) or between different cells and regulation of said communication.
FUN FACT:
The country I was born in, does not exist anymore. I also like food. A lot.
CATHERINA MOBINI
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
EDUCATION:
BS in Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh ‘20
I'M FROM: Queens, New York
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:
Understanding the mechanistic role of the upper respiratory tract microbiota in influenza virus transmission
FUN FACT:
I once won a hula hooping contest – last woman standing.
JENNIFER PAGANO
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
EDUCATION:
BA in Pscyhology, UCONN
I'M FROM:
Originally from CT, but I consider myself a New Yorker by now :)
FUN FACT:
I was in commercials as a child, so there's a chance you've seen my younger self in a Nickelodeon or random toy ad. (shout out my fellow millennials!).