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.
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.
Laizhi Zhang
Ph.D. Graduate Student
BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH INTERESTS
Education: MS in Genome Bioinformatics, University of Pittsburgh
Background and Research Interests: I am a PhD student in Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh. My research focuses on leveraging bioinformatics tools and machine learning techniques to decode multi-omics patterns and identify biomarkers for cancer classification and therapy. Specifically, I develop computational models to uncover actionable insights for precision medicine. I am also interested in exploring how emerging AI technologies can enhance our understanding of tumor heterogeneity and resistance mechanisms, ultimately contributing to the development of more effective cancer evaluation and treatments.
Huayan Ren, M.D., Ph. D.
Visiting Scholar, Department of Pathology
BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH INTERESTS
Education: China Medical University
Background and Research Interests: Dr. Ren received her Ph.D. from China Medical University. Before joining Dr. Wang’s Lab, she worked as a pathologist in the Department of Pathology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University for nine years. Her subspecialty is breast and gynecological pathology. She will be working on studying the impact of structural mutations on breast cancer pathology, pathobiology, and immunobiology.
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.
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
