Cathryn Nagler, Ph.D.
Bunning Food Allergy Professor
Ph.D., New York University, Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Science, New York
B.A., Barnard College, Columbia University
Contact: cnagler@bsd.uchicago.edu
Shijie Cao, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar
Research:
Shijie is developing methods for inducing immune tolerance by targeted antigen delivery and microbiome modulation.
Biography:
Shijie received a BS in Pharmacy from Fudan University in Shanghai, China. He completed his PhD in Bioengineering at University of Washington in Seattle in 2018. He’s currently a postdoctoral scholar co-advised by Dr. Jeffrey Hubbell and Dr. Cathryn Nagler.
Contact: sjcao@uchicago.edu
Robert Patry, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar
Research:
Rob studies the impact of healthy microbiota on the function of certain immune cells related to food allergy, also examining the bacterial structures and metabolites that induce these effects.
Biography:
Rob received his Ph.D. from the Department of Microbiology and the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center at the University of Georgia in 2020.
Contact: rpatry@uchicago.edu
Lauren “Ande” Hesser
Graduate Student, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering
Research:
Working jointly with Dr. Hubbell and Dr. Cathryn Nagler, Ande’s project focuses on the development of microbiome modulating therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of food allergies. By targeting commensal gut bacteria and their metabolic byproducts as a source of immune modulation, she is gaining new insight into mechanisms underlying food allergies and discovering potential biotherapeutic agents.
Biography:
Ande received her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, 2018.
Contact: lahesser@uchicago.edu
Jack Arnold
Graduate Student, National Science Foundation Fellow, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering
Research:
Working jointly with Dr. Mark Mimee and Dr. Cathryn Nagler, Jack’s research is focused on the “microbiome engineering” of A. caccae and isolation of additional Lachnospiraceae species.
Biography:
Jack received his B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in 2019.
Contact: arnoldj@uchicago.edu
Edward Ionescu
Graduate Student, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering
Research:
Edward is researching the effects of gut microbiota-derived secondary bile acids on the mucosal immune system, in the context of understanding oral tolerance and treating food allergies.
Biography:
Edward received his B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2020.
Contact: eionescu@uchicago.edu
Armando Puente
Graduate Student, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering
Research:
Armando is studying the mechanisms by which the commensal microbiota influence intestinal homeostasis in the context of food allergy. He is interested in using transcriptomics to elucidate host pathways modulated by the microbiota and to discover novel interventions for food allergies.
Biography:
Armando received his B.S. in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California in 2017. He also completed graduate level course work in Bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego in San Diego, California in 2021.
Contact: aapuente@uchicago.edu
Peter Zwarycz
Laboratory Manager
Research:
Peter leads the lab's efforts in intestinal microbial analysis and characterization.
Biography:
Peter received his B.S. in Biology from the University of Illinois Chicago in 2017.
Contact: pzwarycz@uchicago.edu
Nidhi Talasani
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Research:
Nidhi works with Shijie on evaluating immune responses on food allergy mouse models.
Biography:
Nidhi graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in 2019 and is scheduled to graduate with a B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University in 2023.
Contact: nrtalasani@uchicago.edu
Anjali Mirmira
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Research:
Anjali is working with Ande on identifying a possible biomarker for food allergy. She is investigating the role of diacylglycerol (DAG) and using mass spectrometry techniques to develop an assay to measure it in fecal samples.
Biography:
Anjali is a second-year student in the college originally from Indianapolis, Indiana. She is majoring in chemistry with a minor in biological sciences.
Contact: amirmira@uchicago.edu
Alex Trickey
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Research:
Alex is studying the contributions of the intestinal mucus layer toward epithelial barrier protection in food allergic mouse models.
Biography:
Alex is a fourth-year student in the college working on a B.S. thesis in Biological Sciences and double majoring in Spanish. She is scheduled to graduate in 2023 with a specialization in Immunology.
Contact: astrickey@uchicago.edu
Leidan “Tracy” Chen
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Research:
Tracy is working with Ande to study the regulatory role of butyrate on mucosal mast cell in food allergy.
Biography:
Tracy is a third-year student in the college majoring in Molecular Engineering with minors in Computer Science and Immunoengineering.
Contact: leidan@uchicago.edu