Former Members
About our alumni
Bitan Lab alumni are in many countries, industries, and professions. Some of our former lab members continued their studies, others became teachers or went into management positions. Some lab alumni found positions in healthcare as doctors, dentists, researchers, and scientists. Others are supporting healthcare from the tech side as product managers, project managers, and software engineers. We've even had a few alumni become lawyers.
List of former lab members
| Name | Role | Project | Current Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brenda Abarca, M.D. | Undergraduate Researcher | Cell culture | Psychiatrist, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center |
| Ryan Saleh Atlasi, D.M.D. | Undergraduate Researcher | Characterization of anti-SOD1 antibodies | Dentist, Rochester, MN |
| Aida Attar, Ph.D. | Graduate Student | Investigation of molecular tweezers in vivo | Director, New Product Commercialization, Neurocrine Biosciences, San Diego |
| Reena Bakshi, M.D. | Undergraduate Researcher | Investigation of molecular tweezers in vitro | General surgeon, Morgantown, WV |
| Shweta (Balakrishnan) Joshi, M.P.H. | Undergraduate Researcher | Characterization of anti-oligomer antibodies | Vice President of Operations, Synapticure, Chicago, IL |
| Karl Biggs, Ph.D. | Research Associate | Structure-activity studies of α-synuclein, development of novel assays for phosphorylated α-synuclein | Senior Scientist, Neuroscience Discovery, GlaxoSmithKline, Cambridge, MA |
| Danielle Bouquio, B.S. | Graduate Student | Characterization of a mouse model of multieple system atrophy, pharmacokinetics of molecular tweezers | R&D Scientist, ChemBio Diagnostics, Inc., Port Jefferson, NY |
| Jackie (Bucher) Brogan, M.D. | Undergraduate Researcher | Characterization of anti-Aβ aptamers | Dermatologist, Coronado, CA |
| Elaine Ann Cara, M.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Cell culture | Research Assistant, Cardiovascular Research Institute, School of Medicine |
| Lea Chamoun | Undergraduate Researcher | Biomarkers in CNS-originating EVs | Medical student, University of Minnesota Medical School |
| Wai-Ting (Coco) Chan | Visiting Undergraduate Researcher from Peninsula College of Medicine & DentistryUniversities of Exeter and Plymouth, United Kingdom | Pharmacology of molecular tweezers | Personal trainer & Group Class Instructor, Bali, Indonesia |
| Sueksitt (Prem) Chantanapumma | Undergraduate Researcher | Structural studies of α-synuclein and its interaction with molecular tweezers | Medical student, Chulalongkorn University |
| Esha Chawla | Undergraduate Researcher | Tau seeding in biosensor cells | Medical student, Vanderbilt University |
| David Cho | Undergraduate Researcher | Investigation of C-terminal fragments of Aβ42 in vitro | |
| Christian Corrales, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Studies of SOD1 activity and self-assembly | MSTP (MD/PhD) student, UCLA |
| Jing Di, M.D., Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow | Investigation of the effect of molecular tweezers on tau in vitro and in vivo | Surgical Pathology Fellow, UC San Diego Health |
| Suman Dutta, Ph.D. | Assistant Project Scientist | Biomarkers in CNS-originating exosomes | Ramalingaswami Faculty Fellow (equivalent to Asst. Prof.), Dept. of Neuroscience, University of Calcutta, India |
| Nour Elabed | Undergraduate Researcher | Biomarkers in CNS-originating exosomes – database management | |
| Andrew Fithian, B.S. | Research Associate | Methionine-sulfoxide in familial Alzheimer’s disease | Research Associate at Prometheus Laboratories |
| Christine Fontanilla, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow | Investigation of molecular tweezers in an ALS mouse model | |
| Jane Hayes, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Biochemical analysis molecular tweezers in vivo | Principal RevOps Manager at Jobber, Toronto |
| Helia Hosseini, M.S. | Masters Student | Biomarkers for spinocerebellar ataxia | Medical student, Yale University |
| Kathryn Howe, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Database and biorepository manager for biomarker studies | Disney Cast Member | Future-Focused on Biological Research Opportunities, Kissimmee, Florida |
| Ian Hurst, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Effect of assembly inhibitors on Aβ aggregation in the presence of Zn2+ | Associate, intellectual property, Covington, Los Angeles |
| Ella Ishaaya, M.D.. | Undergraduate Researcher | Transthyretin Oligomerization | Fellow, Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles Medical Center |
| Marie Khijniak, B.S. | Research Associate | Biomarkers | Medical student at Case-Western Reserve University |
| Juka Kim, M.D. | Undergraduate Researcher | Development of an inhibitor screening method using PICUP | Resident, Stanford University |
| Adira Kruayatidee, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Development of an inhibitor screening method using PICUP | Medical student, California Northstate University |
| Pei-Yi Kuo, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Investigation of C-terminal fragments of Aβ42 in cell culture | |
| Otmane Lahgui, MBA, PMP® | Research Associate | Brain biomarkers measurement in serum and plasma | Senior Consultant, Project Manager, Theron, Luxembourg |
| KaiChyuan Lei | Undergraduate Researcher | Characterization of molecular tweezers biological activity | Board certified dentist in Periodontology and Implant Dentistry, Los Angeles |
| Huiyuan Li, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow | Synthesis and characterization of Aβ42 C-terminal fragments in vitro and in cell culture | Principal Scientist, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lawrence, NJ |
| Tina Li, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Development of methods for immunoprecipitation of specific CNS exosome groups | Graduate Student, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine |
| Xingyi Li, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Analysis of oxidative stress in human brain | |
| Zizheng Li, M.S. | Visiting Graduate Researcher | Investigation of molecular tweezers and their interaction with tau | Graduate Student, UC San Francisco |
| Jessica Liu, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Investigation of molecular tweezers in cell culture | |
| Tanya Liu, M.S. | Research Associate | Investigation of molecular tweezers in vivo | Global Value, Access & Pricing Leader, Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Boston, MA |
| Devin Loewenstein, M.D. | Undergraduate Researcher | Characterization of anti-Aβ aptamers | Clinical Cardiologist, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL |
| Dahabada Lopes, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow, Assistant Researcher | Investigation of molecular tweezers in vitro and in cell culture | CoFounder of JourneyMetrics, Owner and CEO of Topanga Dreaming, Topanga , CA |
| Katherine Maina, B.A. | Lab Assistant | Biomarkers in CNS-originating exosomes | Solution Initiative Manager at Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medford, MA |
| Panchanan Maiti, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow | Structure–activity studies of Aβ | Adjunct Faculty, National Institute of Pharmaceutical, Educational and Research, Hyderabad, India |
| Ravinder Malik, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow | Drug and biomarker development for ALS | Assistant Project Scientist, UCLA |
| Ghattas Malki, M.D. | Undergraduate Researcher | Immunohistochemical analysis of molecular tweezers in a mouse model of tauopathy | Resident, Internal Medicine, UCLA |
| Ashley Mason, Ph.D. | Research Associate | Inhibition and enhancement of Aβ toxicity | Scientist II, Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals, Boston, MA |
| Kylie McCauley, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Microbiome impact on amyloid plaques in mice | Associate Toxicologist at TRC Companies, Inc., Jackson, WY |
| Roy McReynolds III, Ph.D. | Graduate Student | The role of astrocytes in early-stage Alzheimer’s disease | |
| Helen (Lin Hui) Meng. D.O.. | Undergraduate Researcher | Immunohistochemistry in ALS and tauopathy mouse models | Family Physician, Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group |
| Alanna Morris, B.S. | Research Assistant | Biomarkers in CNS-originating EVs | Masters student, Toxicology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health |
| Kirsten (McDaniel) Nau, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Investigation of molecular tweezers in vitro | IRB Reliance & hSCRO Senior Analyst, UC Irvine |
| Shivina Mittal, B.S., M.B.A. | Undergraduate Researcher, Research Associate | Investigation of molecular tweezers in cell culture | Technical Program Manager, Practice Fusion, San Francisco |
| Bernhard Monien, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow | Synthesis and characterization of Aβ42 C-terminal fragments in vitro | Senior Scientist, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Dept. of Food Safety, Berlin, Germany |
| Kazuma Murakami, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow | Generation and characterization of anti-Aβ aptamers | Associate Professor, Kyoto University |
| Gayatri Nair, M.S. | Research Associate | Investigation of molecular tweezers in cell culture | |
| Maggie (Amelia) Navarro | Undergraduate Researcher | Aggregation of α-synuclein variants | Medical Assistant OSVI Dermatology and Surgery Institute, Hawthorne, CA |
| Mona Nejad, DDS | Undergraduate Researcher | Behavioral analysis of a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease | General & Cosmetic Dentist, Torrance, CA |
| Angela Nguyen | Undergraduate Researcher | Mehionine oxidation in Alzheimer’s disease | Physician Assistant Student, Stanford School of Medicine |
| Sahar Nikkhah Bahrami, M.D. | Visiting Scholar | Improved isolation of CNS-originating extracellular vesicles | Postdoctoral Researcher at USC Department of Neurology, Violin Instructor |
| Jennifer Portillo, B.S. | Lab Assistant | Tau postrtranlational modification and self-assembly | Graduate Student, Washington University, St. Louis |
| Farid Rahimi, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow | Generation and characterization of anti-Aβ aptamers | Divisional Senior Technical Officer, Biomedical Science and Biochemistry, Australian National University, Canberra |
| Brian Safaie, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Analysis of α-synuclein oligomers in vitro | Therapist, Colorado Motion, Colorado Springs, CO |
| Nihal Satyadev, M.D., M.P.H. | Undergraduate Researcher | Investigation of molecular tweezers in an ALS mouse model | Neurology Resident, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL |
| Niki Sepanj, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | ALS and ataxia research | Founder, Dupe Designer Furniture |
| Sneha Shaha, M.D. | Undergraduate Researcher | Characterization of Aβ42 C-terminal fragments in cell culture | Internal Medicine Physician, UCLA Biodesign Accelerator Fellow |
| Hedieh Shahpasand-Kroner, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow | Investigation of posttranslational modifications and oligomerization of tau | Senior Scientist, Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CA |
| Akila Shanmugam, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow | Characterization of molecular tweezers in vitro | Chemistry and Forensic Science teacher, Lovejoy High School, Lucas, TX |
| Sharmistha Sinha, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow | Characterization of molecular tweezers in vitro and in cell culture | Professor, Senior Scientist, Institute of NanoScience and Technology, Mohali, India |
| Jamie (Summers) Sprague, B.S., J.D. | Undergraduate Researcher | Characterization of anti-Aβ aptamers | Partner, Cox Castle, Irvine, CA |
| Asked not to be named | Master’s student | Biomarkers in CNS-originating EVs | |
| Saumya Tawakley, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Analysis of exophers in SH-SY5Y cells | Medical student, New York Medical College |
| Sally Tu, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Studies of the effect of molecular tweezers in a mouse model of tauopathy | Medical Student, California Northstate University, College of Medicine |
| Anika Vaishampayan, M.S. | Research Assistant | Exopher analysis | UX Researcher II, Navy Federal Credit Union |
| Jessica Vo, M.D. | Undergraduate Researcher | Cell culture | Internal Medicine Physician, Orange Coast Medical Center, Fountain Valley, CA |
| Keith Wong, M.D., M.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Characterization of anti-oligomer antibodies | Physician, County of Santa Clara Health System |
| Austin Wang, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Effect of molecular tweezers on tau oligomers in a tauopathy mouse model | |
| Kyle Wong | Undergraduate Researcher | Tau isomerization in AD | Lead Care Manager, Serene Health, San Diego, CA |
| Fatemah Yacoub, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Structure activity relationships of α-synuclein | Clinical Research Coordinator, UC Irvine |
| Robert Yuan, B.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Effect of molecular tweezers on α-synuclein in a mouse model of MSA | Medical student, University of Massachusetts, Worcester |
| Christine Zang | Undergraduate Researcher | Analysis of exophers in a neuronal cell line | Creative Strategist, TubeScience |
| Yareeve Zemel, M.S. | Undergraduate Researcher | Characterization of Aβ42 C-terminal fragments in cell culture | Principal Software Engineer, Alcone |
| Joanna Zhao | Undergraduate Researcher | Exopher analysis | Medical student, Mayo Clinic, AZ |