Principal investigator
Xiaosong Wang, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Pathology
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Hillman Cancer Center G.5a
5117 Centre Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: 412-623-1587
Email: xiaosongw@pitt.edu
Lab members
Yolanda (Yue) Wang, M.D., M.Sc.
Research Instructor
Department of Pathology
BACKGROUND AND ESEARCH INTERESTS
Dr. Wang is an experienced scientist with an M.D. and M.Sc. from China Medical University. She has worked on immunobiology projects as a research instructor in the Department of Surgery with renowned immunologist Dr. Michael Lowes, and has received postdoc training on cell biology and patient derived xenograft models during her work at Baylor College of Medicine. She is experienced in a wide array of immunobiology and xenograft experiments. Her current research focus on the immunobiology of recurrent gene fusions in breast cancer.
Bashir Lawal, Ph.D.
Hillman Postdoctoral Fellow for Innovative Cancer Research
Department of Pathology
EDUCATION:
PhD, Taipei Medical University (TMU), Taiwan
BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH INTERESTS:
I am a molecular cancer biologist with both computational, pre-clinical, and clinical research interests. My primary research goals are to understand the genetic mechanism of tumor immune evasion, progression, and therapy resistance, with aim to develop novel precision therapeutics. Specifically, I am interested in investigating a genetic rearrangement in more aggressive and therapy-resistant forms of breast and ovarian cancers, examining their function in cancer progression and immunotherapy resistance, and leverage my expertise in drug development to explore novel therapeutics. I am also interested in characterizing the pan-cancer structural genetic landscape associated with tumor progression and immunotherapy resistance.
Parisa Lotfinejad, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate
Department of Pathology
EDUCATION:
PhD in Immunology, Tabriz University of Medical Science
BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH INTERESTS:
I am a Ph.D. graduate in Immunology. I have studied the effect of jetPEI loaded siRNA molecules against PD-L1 on inhibition of stemness and activated T-lymphocytes differentiation to induced regulatory T-lymphocytes. My primary research interests include the study of genetic mechanisms of tumor immune evasion in cancers. I am also interested in learning and studying the area of cancer biology and computational genomics.
Chuang Yang, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate
Department of Pathology
EDUCATION:
MD, Nanjing Medical University
BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Dr. Chuang Yang graduated from Nanjing Medical University. Before joining Wang lab, he worked as a breast surgeon at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. His research interests include translational medicine research in breast diseases and molecular biological mechanisms related to breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. He has extensive experience in various molecular biological experiments and animal model construction. His current research interests focus on the identification and characterization of novel molecular targets for cancer therapy through the combination of bioinformatics and molecular biology techniques.
Renu Sharma, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate
Department of Pathology
EDUCATION:
PhD in Cancer Biology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, India.
BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH INTERESTS:
I am a PhD graduate in cancer biology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, India. I studied the stages-specific functions of BMP4, RHOA-ROCK, and Wnt/β-catenin signalling in breast cancer formation, progression, and therapeutic resistance using various cell and molecular biology approaches. My interests include computational genomics, complex molecular dynamics, and translational medical research. My goal is to contribute to breakthroughs that will improve diagnosis and treatment techniques, giving hope to millions of people worldwide. Currently, I will be working on the identification and characterisation of recurrent structural mutations driving tumour progression, immune evasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance in breast cancer, elucidating the engaged signalling pathways, examining their oncogenic potential and immunobiology in the in vivo context, and explore therapeutic vulnerabilities of these lethal tumours.
Akshat Gupta, M.S.
Research Analyst
Department of Pathology
EDUCATION:
M.S. Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, USA
Tech Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) Allahabad, India
BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH INTERESTS:
I’m a master’s graduate in computational biology from Carnegie Mellon University, and I am keenly interested in applying machine learning algorithms to disease diagnosis and prognosis. I leverage gene network analysis and interpret bulk and single-cell RNA-seq datasets. Proficient in Python and R, I analyze complex datasets to extract meaningful information. With a strong interest in personalized medicine, I am excited about harnessing the power of gene regulation networks and artificial intelligence to drive advancements in healthcare. I am driven by a deep commitment to positively impacting healthcare, and I aim to push the boundaries of computational biology to achieve a healthier future.
Vincent Chen
Undergraduate Student
BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH INTERESTS
Vincent is an undergrad student in the Class of 2025 at the University of Pittsburgh. He is pursuing a Biology Major on the pre-med track and is interested in becoming an emergency medicine doctor. In Dr. Wang’s lab, he is working on investigating the functions of recurrent gene fusions underlying breast cancer immune evasion.
Anusha Annasamudram
Undergraduate Student
BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH INTERESTS
Anusha is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Biological Sciences on the pre-med track. She is interested in studying the underlying mechanisms of the immune system in cancer development and looks forward to learning research techniques and methods at Dr. Wang’s lab.
Jessica McClintock
Undergraduate Student
BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH INTERESTS
Jessica is an undergraduate student of the Class of 2024. She is earning a degree in Multidisciplinary Studies with particular focus on medical humanities and the pre-medical/biology track. She is preparing for medical school, and she is eager to develop her interest for the genetics behind the immune system’s contributions to cancer treatment and development.
Brenda Atoo
Administrative Assistant
100 Hillman Cancer Center
Phone: 412-623-1012
Fax: 412-623-1010
Email: atoobo@upmc.edu
Wang laboratory at Baylor College of Medicine
