Principal Investigator
David H. Gutmann, MD, PhD
Dr. Gutmann received his MD and PhD degrees at the University of Michigan Medical School, working as a graduate student in immunogenetics under the guidance of Dr. John Niederhuber. He then received residency training in Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was mentored by Dr. Kenneth Fischbeck in neurogenetics, prior to joining the laboratory of Dr. Francis S. Collins to identify the function of the NF1 gene.
For over 25 years, Dr. Gutmann has cared for children and adults with neurofibromatosis, as well as directed a basic research laboratory focused on using NF as a genetic model system to better understand normal brain and brain tumor development relevant to improving the lives of people with NF and related disorders. His work has been internationally recognized, with numerous honors, including the 2012 Children’s Tumor Foundation Frederich von Recklinghausen award, an R35 Research Program Award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the 2019 Society for Neuro-Oncology Abjihit Guha Award, the 2019 American Academy of Neurology Neuro-Oncology Scientific Award, the 2020 National Neurofibromatosis Network Advocate of Hope Award, the 2020 American Neurological Association George W. Jacoby Award, and Election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
In addition, Dr. Gutmann was awarded a Alexander von Humboldt Award and Berlin Institute of Health Einstein Fellowship to establish an international research team focused on NF1 and microglia in Professor Helmut Kettenmann’s laboratory at the Max Delbruck Center in Berlin.
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Corina Anastasaki, PhD
Assistant Professor in Neurology
Education:
BSc, Genetics, University of York, 2006
MSc, Human Genetics, University of Edinburgh, 2007
PhD in Human Genetics, University of Edinburgh, 2011
Research Focus:
Discovering new approaches (utilizing iPSCs) to identify targets for managing NF1 neuronal dysfunction
Shilpa Sanapala, MS
Education:
MS, Biotechnology, University of Texas at San Antonio
Research Focus:
Modeling pediatric low-grade gliomas.
Olivia Cobb, MS
Education:
BA, Liberal Arts, Thomas Aquinas College, 2016
MS, Biostatistics, Washington University in St. Louis, Expected Graduation Dec 2019
Research Focus:
Bioinformatic analytics for laboratory projects
Stephanie Bozeman, BS
Education:
BS, Biochemistry, Missouri Southern State University
Research Focus:
Preventing vision loss from NF1 optic gliomas in mice
Ji-Kang Chen, MS
Education:
BS, Chang Gung University, China, 2016
MS, State University of New York at Oswego, 2018
MS, National Yang-Ming University, 2019
Research Focus:
Neuronal regulation of pediatric brain tumor formation and growth
Yunqing (Clare) Gao, BA
Education:
BA, Biology, Boston University 2022
Research Focus:
Neuronal regulation of brain tumor growth
Rasha Barakat, PhD
Education:
MSc, Neuroscience, American University of Beirut
PhD in Neurobiology, Université De Paris
Research Focus:
T cell trafficking and stromal interactions in brain tumors
Alexander Chen, PhD
Education:
BA, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
PhD in Cancer Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Research Focus:
Exploring the role of cell of origin in pediatric brain tumors
Jit Chatterjee, PhD
Education:
BSc, Fergusson College, Pune, India
MSc, MS University Baroda, Gujarat, India
PhD in Neurobiology, Department of Applied Zoology, Mangalore University, Mangalore, India
Research Focus:
The role of T cells in experimental glioma models
Yunshuo “Caroline” Tang, MD, PhD
Education:
BA, University of California, Berkeley, 2005
PhD, University of California, San Francisco, 2015
MD, University of California, San Francisco, 2017
Research Focus:
My research focuses on defining why retinal ganglion cells die in the setting of Nf1 optic glioma, and result in vision loss. I am using a variety of approaches, including single cell RNA sequencing, to determine which RGC subtypes are most susceptible to optic glioma-induced death, and to leverage these findings to identify new treatments to reduce vision loss.
Ethan Hillis, BS
Education:
BS, Washington University in St. Louis, 2021
Pursuing MSBIS, Washington University in St. Louis
Research Focus:
Employing single cell and bulk RNA sequencing approaches to study NF1
Brianna Carman, BS, BA
Education:
BA, Chemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia, 2021
BS, Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia, 2021
Research Focus:
Investigating neuronal impact on cancer progression
Anna Wilson, BA
Education:
BA, Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, 2021
Research Focus:
Investigating autism risk genes in NF1
Astoria Chao
Education:
Pursuing undergraduate degree, Washington University in St. Louis
Research Focus:
Working with Jit Chatterjee on brain tumor microenvironment
Karen Gao
Education:
Pursuing undergraduate degree, Washington University in St. Louis
Research Focus:
Working with Rasha Barakat on T cell trafficking in mouse models of pediatric brain cancer
Rujuta Idate
Education:
Pursuing undergraduate degree, Washington University in St. Louis
Research Focus:
Working with Jit Chatterjee on T cell involvement in brain tumors
Taylor John-Lewis
Education:
Pursuing undergraduate degree, Washington University in St. Louis
Research Focus:
Working with Caroline Tang on vision loss in NF1 optic glioma
Chloe Kernan
Education:
Pursuing undergraduate degree, Washington University in St. Louis
Research Focus:
Working with Corina Anastasaki on developing humanized models of pediatric brain tumors
Lara Isabel Marco Y Marquez
Education:
Pursuing undergraduate degree, Washington University in St. Louis
Research Focus:
Working with Savannah Sims on how neuronal activity drives brain tumor growth
Kyra Rosen
Education:
Pursuing undergraduate degree, Washington University in St. Louis
Research Focus:
Analysis of healthcare delivery and NF1
Hannah Wang
Education:
Pursuing undergraduate degree, Washington University in St. Louis
Research Focus:
Working with Olivia Cobb on analyzing microglia in human pediatric brain tumors
Ameera Zafar
Education:
Pursuing undergraduate degree, Washington University in St. Louis
Research Focus:
Working with Corina Anastasaki on neuronal regulation of cancer
Overview
Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine
Helmut Kettenmann Laboratory
MDC NF1 Microglia Research Team