People
Dr. Gary Luker, MD
Professor, Radiology
Professor, Biomedical Engineering and Microbiology and Immunology
Email: gluker@med.umich.edu | Phone: 734-232-9255
Twitter | LinkedIn | Research Profile | PubMed
M.D. Washington University School of Medicine
Hobbies: Swimming, petting cats, and cooking
Dr. Kathryn Luker, Ph.D.
Associate Research Scientist
Email: kluker@med.umich.edu | Research Profile | PubMed
Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Washington University in St. Louis
Hobbies: Gardening, drawing, and taking care of her pond
Dr. Brock Humphries, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Email: brhu@med.umich.edu | LinkedIn | PubMed
Ph.D. Michigan State University (2016)
B.S. Saginaw Valley State University (2010)
Funding: American Cancer Society - Michigan Cancer Research Fund Postdoctoral Fellowship
Brock's research focuses on identifying the molecular mechanisms that drive tumor recurrence and metastasis. His work centers around mitochondria as key drivers of breast tumor-initiating cells (the cells responsible for tumor recurrence and cancer progression). The goal of this work is to elucidate novel therapeutic targets for patients with aggressive and/or metastatic breast cancer.
Hobbies: Playing and watching soccer and futsal, video games, and funny t-shirts
Dr. Kenneth Ho, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Email: kennetho@med.umich.edu | LinkedIn | PubMed
Ph.D. University of Michigan (2018)
Kenneth's research focuses on identifying the role of guanine exchanger modulators (such as GIV/girdin) and extracellular matrix stiffness on signaling mechanisms that drive tumor metastasis and recurrence.
Hobbies: Swimming, water activities, hiking, cooking, petting dogs, and reading.
Dr. Aasia Rehman, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Email: aorehman@umich.edu | PubMed
Ph.D. University of Michigan (2009)
B.S. Saginaw Valley State University (2001)
Aasia is researching cellular processes of drug resistance, metastases, and inflammatory signaling in engineered models of breast cancer. Using molecular and cellular imaging techniques, she hopes to discover and target mechanisms of cellular dormancy.
Hobbies: Hanging out with her kids, gardening, cooking, and watching movies.
Dr. Nicholas Ciavattone, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Email: nci@umich.edu | PubMed
Ph.D. University of Maryland Baltimore (2021)
B.S./M.S. Oakland University (2012/2014)
Johanna Buschhaus, MSE
3rd year Ph.D. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
Email: jbuschha@med.umich.edu | LindkedIn | PubMed
M.S.E. University of Michigan Biomedical Engineering (2020)
B.S.E. University of Michigan Biomedical Engineering (2017)
Funding: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Johanna is researching cellular interactions within the breast tumor micro-environment at both primary and metastatic sites. Using tissue engineering, molecular imaging, and next-generation sequencing tools to analyze cellular metabolism, EMT, and signaling, she hopes to reduce patient metastases by exploiting the cancer/stromal cell relationship.
Hobbies: Pottery, traveling, watching RuPaul's Drag Race, gardening, and petting her cats
Patrick Kinnunen, MSE
4th year Ph.D. Candidate, Linderman Group, Chemical Engineering
Email: pkinn@umich.edu | LinkedIn | PubMed
B.S. Ohio State University Chemical Engineering (2017)
Patrick is a Ph.D student co-mentored by Jennifer Linderman. He is modeling cell signaling and heterogeneity in cancer cells.
Hobbies: Rock climbing, playing guitar, reading, and travelling
Tanner Robison, MSE
3rd year Ph.D. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
Email: robisont@med.umich.edu | LinkedIn
B.S. Montana State University Chemical Engineering (2018)
Tanner’s research focuses on using magnetic resonance imaging to study myelofibrosis—a myeloproliferative neoplasm that results in progressive fibrosis of the bone marrow. Currently, he is working to develop a non-invasive, imaging biomarker to assess disease severity, progression, and therapeutic intervention in patients.
Hobbies: Travelling, moose watching, collecting Christmas ornaments, hiking, and snowboarding
Shrila Rajendran, BS
Assistant in Research
B.S. University of Michigan MCDB (2021)
Email: shrilraj@umich.edu | PubMed
Shrila is studying the cellular interactions between breast cancer cells and other cell types existing in tumor microenvironments. She uses imaging techniques to study how these interactions affect tumor cell migration and signaling.
Hobbies: Tennis, buying too much bubble tea, playing Animal Crossing, and at-home workouts
Avi is interested in veterinary sciences and handles all animal-related studies. Using co-clinical models, he is involved in using MRI to study the progression of Myelofibrosis. He is skilled in inducing cancer at multiple sites in murine models and tracking disease progression using bioluminescence imaging.
Hobbies: Tennis, playing the guitar, yothing, and feeding squirrels
Manisha Solipuram
4th year Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email: manishas@umich.edu | LinkedIn
Undergraduate, Industrial and Operations Engineering
Manisha is analyzing the large amounts of data and implementing new ways to understand data that is collected in the lab.
Hobbies: Cooking, watching Cody Ko videos on youtube, watching Netflix, and playing volleyball
Annabel Levinson
3rd year Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email: annalev@umich.edu
Undergraduate, MCDB
Annabel is interested in studying the function of cancer cells and the mechanisms which drive their abnormalities.
Hobbies: ice hockey, soccer, running and baking.
Anne is studying how cell-cell interactions affect cancer progression as well as how mitochondrial morphology affects cancer cell growth and response to drugs. She is also working on using RNA sequencing data to elucidate interactions between cancer cells and the microenvironment.
Hobbies: Volunteering, sketching, playing the piano, eating, and napping
Alex Farfel
3rd year Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email: alexfarf@umich.edu
Undergraduate, Public Health Sciences
Alex is interested in studying cancer immune responses and elucidating drivers of cancer metastases.
Hobbies: Playing the guitar, going to new restaurants, Michigan Sports, and playing soccer.
Alumni
Name
Raymond Asare
Olivia Utter
Andre Boutros
Shrila Rajendran
Emily Nash
Austin Luker
Henry Haley, B.S.
Annie Xiao, B.S.
Andrew Rickelmann, B.S.
Paras Garg
Taylor Neeley
Joseph Fenner
Mark Rudolph
Jun "Jack" Liu, Ph.D.
Pranav Mudgal
Anna Erlich
Nathaniel Coggins
Aron Kandinov
Emma Salomonsson
Sarah Lewin
Laura Anne Mihalko
Bradley Schmidt
Jessica Steele
Martha Hutchens, Ph.D.
Mudit Gupta
Rachel Rivera
Matthew Smith
Luker Lab Years
2017-2021
2019-2021
2019-2020
2019-2020
2019-2020
2019
2017-2019
2014-2019
2017-2019
2017-2018
2016-2018
2015-2018
2017-2018
2016-2018
2016-2018
2015-2018
2016-2018
2016-2017
2016-2017
2014-2017
2014-2017
2014-2016
2014-2015
2014-2015
2013-2015
2011-2015
2010-2014
2013-2014
2012-2014
2012-2014
2011-2014
2012-2013
2012-2013
2010-2013
2012-2013
2011-2013
2010-2013
2010-2013
2010-2012
2011-2012
2010-2011
2009-2011
2009-2011
2008-2009
2005-2008
2007-2008
2005-2006
2002-2004
Luker Lab Position
Undergraduate
Ph.D. Student
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Ph.D. Student
Veterinary Resident
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Postdoctoral Fellow
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Graduate Student
Graduate Student
Postdoctoral Fellow
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Graduate Student
Undergraduate
Postdoctoral Fellow
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Graduate Student
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Graduate Student
Undergraduate
Graduate Student
Undergraduate
Post-Lab Position
PhD Student, Stanford University
Senior Scientist at Applied BioMath
Clinical Veterinarian, University of Iowa
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Co-op
Associate Professor at Sun Yat-sen University
Medical Student, Central Michigan University
Medical Student, University of Wisconsin
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
Medical Student, Northwestern University
Medical Student, University of Michigan
Medical Student, Eastern Virginia
President, PFS Genomics Inc.
Director of Product Planning, Beam Therapeutics
Research Investigator at University of Michigan
Resident Physician at Aurora St. Luke's Medical
Associate Professor at Lake Superior State