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

Avinash Bevoor

4th year Undergraduate Research Assistant

Email: abevoor@med.umich.edu

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 Zhang

3rd year Undergraduate Research Assistant

Email: annezhan@umich.edu

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.

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