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Flaum Eye Institute / Research / Labs / Singh Lab / Lab Members

 

Lab Members

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Ruchira Singh, Ph.D.

Ruchira Singh, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Email Ruchira

Research Program Focus:

  • Understanding the normal physiology of the human retina
  • Using patient-derived human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to study the molecular mechanism of specific retinal and neurodegenerative diseases that affect the retina
  • Pharmacologically targeting certain retinal disorders in relevant animal models and patient-derived hiPSC target cells

Hobbies outside the lab:  Reading books, listening to old Hindi music, Sleeping!!!

Ankur Dubey

Ankur Dubey, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Email Ankur

Research Focus:

Solving molecular puzzles related to complex cellular anomalies associated with fatal diseases and disorders such as degeneration, imperfect aging, tumors and, immunological errors. Here he is focused on unraveling the...

  • Potential Involvement of Disease Relevant Exosomes in the Pathogenesis of AMD using Model Organisms.

Hobbies outside the lab: Learning how to cook, listening to music.

Lal Krishan

Lal Krishan Kumar, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Email Lal Krishan

Research Focus:

Developing in vitro (invito) and in vivo disease models for ocular diseases is crucial for understanding their underlying disease mechanisms and for testing potential treatments.

  • Project-1 Elucidating the role of cell-specific CLN3 dysfunction in CLN3-Batten disease.
  • Project-2 Investigating the role of PLA2G2A in macular degeneration using mouse model.

Hobbies outside the lab: Cooking, watching news, social work, reading book, using social media.

Sonal Dalvi

Sonal Dalvi, Ph.D.
Staff Scientist
Email Sonal

Research Focus:

  • Developing patient-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) models of macular degeneration using induced pluripotent stem cell technology (iPSCs) to investigate the mechanisms behind maculopathy-related phenotypes and identifying drugs to therapeutically target them.
  •  Investigating the role of gene-environment interaction in macular degeneration.
  • Investigating the pathophysiology of CLN3 Batten disease using iPSC-based disease modeling.

Hobbies outside the lab: Yoga, Sports (Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball), Listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

F. Emira Dogrul​

F. Emira Dogrul​, MD
Laboratory Technician
Email Emira

Research Focus:

  • Developing a tissue mimetic of the human retina using iPSCs.
  • Stem cell maintenance and RPE differentiation.

Hobbies outside the lab: Cooking, coffee tasting, traveling and watching series.

Nathaniel Foley

Nathaniel Foley
Laboratory Technician
Email Nathaniel

Research Focus:

  • Developing a tissue mimetic of the human retina using iPSCs.

Hobbies outside the lab: Sports (baseball, hockey, Premier League), cooking, brewing, music.

Leah Grego

Leah Grego
Laboratory Technician
Email Leah

Research Focus:

  • Determining the role of CLN3 gene/protein in the human retina.
  • Stem cell maintenance and RPE differentiation.

Hobbies outside the lab: Reading, Hiking and Cooking.

Aryan Bhakhri

Aryan Bhakhri
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email Aryan

Research Focus:

  • Modelling of various Biological/Ocular Systems Through Both Wet and Dry Lab Perspectives, Computational Quantification and Analysis Techniques, Integration of Machine Learning into Analysis.

Hobbies outside the lab: I love playing and watching basketball. Also, I have an obsession with cars and F1 racing!

Paige Gaynier

Paige Gaynier
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email Paige

Research Focus:

  • Investigate the influence of e-cigarette vapor extract flavors (menthol/berry with or without nicotine) on drusen formation in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a hallmark of macular degeneration / Investigate the role of RPE-derived exosomes in promoting RPE dysfunction and retinal degeneration in the iPSC model neurodegenerative retinal disorder, CLN3 Batten disease.

Hobbies outside the lab: Watching Sports, going to country concerts, and traveling.

Steven Xie

Steven Xie
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email Steven

Research Focus:

  • Working on developing image macros for batch processing quantification for particles and vasculature.

Hobbies outside the lab: Chess, Art, Biking.