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 - )

ANNA ABRUZZO
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
DEGREE(S):
BA in Biology and History, Swarthmore College '20
I'M FROM: NYC
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:
Understanding the factors driving competition among pneumococcal strains during colonization and transmission

KRISTEN LOKKEN-TOYLI
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
DEGREE(S):
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.

CATHERINA MOBINI
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
DEGREE(S):
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
DEGREE(S):
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 to all my millennials).

SURYA AGGARWAL
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
DEGREE(S):
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.

HANNES EICHNER
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
DEGREE(S):
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.

MATTHEW MONTGOMERY
GRADUATE STUDENT
DEGREE(S):
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.

CHERN WEI 'GAVYN' BEE
GRADUATE STUDENT
DEGREE(S):
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
DEGREE(S):
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
DEGREE(S):
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.