Our Alumni
Dear Alumni,
If you would like to update or change your posted information, please contact the Dennis lab webmaster. We look forward to hearing from you.
Daiki Hayashi
Postdoctoral Researcher: March 2018-August 2021
Research Project: Phospholipase A2 and Lipidomics
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
Email: dhayashi@port.kobe-u.ac.jp
Juergen Hartler
Visiting Scientist: Oct 2018-March 2020
Research Topic: Development of data analysis tools for lipidomics and metabolomics, and data analysis algorithms for mass spectrometry
Current Position: Assistant Professor at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Graz, Austria
Email: Juergen.Hartler@uni-graz.at
Joseph Argus
Postdoctoral Researcher: July 2018-August 2020
Research Topic: Cellular Phospholipases A2
Current Position: Senior Scientist I, Analytical Research & Development at Nitto BioPharma, Inc.
Address: 10618 Science Center Dr., San Diego, CA 92121
Email: jargus@health.UCSD.edu
Deion Sugianto
Undergraduate Lab Assistant: 2017-2019
Current Position: Dexcom
Email: deion.sugianto@gmail.com
Berit Johansen
Visiting Scientist: 1996-1997, 2018
Current Position: Professor, Department of Biology, Section for Molecular and Systems Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
Email: bejo@ntnu.no
Aaron R. Navratil
Postdoctoral Researcher: 2015-2017
Current Position: Senior Scientist, Marengo Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
Email: anavratil@theravance.com
Antonin Lamaziere
Visiting Researcher: 2017
Current Position: Associate Professor Biochemistry/Lipid metabolism, Pierre and Marie Curie University/AP-HP, Paris, France
Email: antonin.lamaziere@aphp.fr
Violetta Constantinou-Kokotou
Visiting Professor: 2000, 2014
Current Position: Professor of Organic Chemistry, Director of Chemical Laboratories, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Email: vikon@aua.gr
George Kokotos, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor: 2003, 2014
Current Position: Chair and Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Email: gkokotos@chem.uoa.gr
Dimitrios Limnios
Postdoc: July 2013, July-August 2014 and December 2014 to February 2015
Current Position: IB Chemistry Instructor at the American College of Greece, Athens, Greece
Email: dlimnios@chem.uoa.gr; dlimnios@acg.edu
Maroula G. Kokotou
Postdoc: July 2013, July-August 2014 and December 2014 to February 2015
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Instrumental Analysis and Organic Chemistry, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Email: mkokotou@aua.gr
Jiang Jiang
Postdoctoral Researcher from 2013 to 2015
Current Position: Professor, School of Food Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu province, China
Research Interests: protein chemistry, plant-based emulsion system
Sindhushree Raghunandan
Graduate Student from 2012 to 2014
Paul Norris
Graduate Student from 2008 to 2013
Postition: Applications Specialist at SCIEX, Boston, MA
Email: paul.norris@sciex.com
Ann Gregus
Postdoc at UCSD: 2008 to 2013
Scientist at Lpath, Inc: 2013-2016
Research Scientist at VT: 2016-2020
Current Position: Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech in the School of Neuroscience
Email: agregus@vt.edu
Jian Cao
Postdoc from 2009 to 2012
Current Position: VP of Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control (CMC), Lycia Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA
Darren Dumlao
Project Scientist from 2008 to 2012
Current Position: Principal Scientist at Impossible Foods
Email:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-dumlao-09566b41
Mary Kincaid
Administrative Assistant from 1992 to 2012
Current Position: Retired
Rick Harkewicz
Project Scientist from 2003 to 2012
Yasuyuki Kihara
Postdoc from 2010 to 2011
Current Position: Research Assistant Prof, Degenerative Diseases Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
Email: ykihara@SBPdiscovery.org
Yuan-Hao Hsu
Postdoc from 2006 to 2011
Current Position: Professor, Tunghai University, Dept. of Chemistry, Taichung, Taiwan
Email: howardhsu@thu.edu.tw
Eloisa Labrada
Undergraduate Student from 2008 to 2011
Josh Brooks
Postdoc from 2008 to 2011
Michael Creason
SRA III from 2009-2010
Current Position: CVS Pharmacist
Email: michaelcreason@gmail.com
Matt Buczynski
Graduate Student from 2003 to 2008
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA
Email: mwb@vt.edu
John Burke
Graduate Student from 2004 to 2008
Current Position: Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
Email: jeburke@uvic.ca
Tom Scherbart
Lab Assistant (Undergraduate Student) from October 2007 to October 2008
Current Position: Scientist at Genomatica, San Diego
Email: tom_scherbart@yahoo.com
Naomi Cotton , Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate from December 2007 to August 2008
Ph.D. University of Washington
Current Position:
Email: naomi.cotton@gmail.com
Andrej Grkovich, Ph.D.
Graduate Student from 2002 to 2008
Current Position: Manager, R&D at Sekisui Diagnostics, LLC
Email: agrkovich@quidel.com
Daren Stephens
Staff Research Associate from 2004 to December 2007
Current Position: Instrument Support Manager at Tandem Labs
Email: daren_stephens@hotmail.com
Kara Schmelzer, Ph.D.
Project Scientist from September 2006 to April 2007
Ph.D. University of California, Davis
Research Topics: LIPID MAPS eicosanoid detection quantitation in primary murine macrophages
Current Position: Parexel
Email: k_schmelzer@hotmail.com
Michel Lagarde , Ph.D., D.Sc
Visiting Scientist July and August 2006
PhD in Biochemistry (Lyon, 1974). DSc (Lyon 1979). Doctorate in Human Biology (Lyon 1983).
Research Topics: Metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids of nutritional interest, especially into oxygenated products, in blood and vascular cells. Brain targeting with docosahexaenoic acid-containing structured lipids.
Current Position: University Professor Emeritus at University of Lyon-ASA, Decines-Charpieu, France
Email: michel.lagarde@insa-lyon.fr
Rebecca Bowers-Gentry, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate from July 2003 to August 2006
Ph.D. University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Research Topics: Deuterium exchange/Mass Spectrometry of Group IV cPLA2; LIPID MAPS fatty acid detection and quantitation by LC/MS
Current Position: Professor of Biology and Chemistry, Interim Chair of Physical Science Dept, and Director of S2 Summer Science Enrichment Program
Address: San Diego Miramar College, 10440 Black Mountain Rd, San Diego, CA 92126, 619-388-7241
Email: rbowersg@sdccd.edu
Ursula Kessen, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate from February 2001 to July 2006
Ph.D. Universitaet Konstanz, Germany
Research Topics: Role of PLA2 in arachidonic acid metabolism and eicosanoid production; siRNA inhibition of eicosanoid production and detection by LC/MS
Current Position: Head of Graduate Center Medicine of Faculty of Medicine, Medical Research School Duesseldorf
Ralph Schaloske, Ph.D.
Project Scientist from February 2001 to July 2006
Ph.D. Universitaet Konstanz, Germany
Research Topics: Signal transduction leading to production of prostaglandins in P388D1 macrophage; Quantitation of Eicosanoid response in Rat spinal cord and spinal fluid by LC/MS
Current Position: Communications Manager at Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany
Email: ralphschaloske@hotmail.com
Eunice Kim
Lab Technician / UCSD Graduate, with BS in pharmacological Chemistry 2005
Current Position: Student at UCSF Pharmacy School
Email: eunice.Kim@ucsf.edu
Mark Karbarz, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from April 2004 to July 2005
Research Topics: Deuterium exchange / Mass spectrometry of cobra venom PLA2
Current Position: Executive Director of Biologics Development, Head of CMC, Tallac Therapeutics
Email: mkarbarz@hotmail.com
Jennifer Cooper
Staff Research Associate from January 2004 to July 2005
Email:
Jarrod Provins
Lab technician / Graduate Student from Fall 2000 to Summer 2004
Research Topics: Separation of eicosanoids through HPLC
Current Position: Research Associate at Cemines
Email: jarrod.provins@cemines.com
Peter Friedman, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow / Project Scientist from November 1996 - September 2004
Research Topics: Oxidized Phospholipids in Atherosclerosis: Pathways of their Catabolism
Current Position: Director of Product Formulation, Master Chemist at Valor Medical
Yingmei Liu, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 2002 - 2004
Research Topics: Novel antisense on the eicosanoids pathway
Email:
Karin Lucas, Ph.D.
Graduate Student from 1999 - 2004
Research Topics: Expression, purification and characterization of Phospholipase A2 Groups IVB & C and defining the role of Phospholipase A2 in spinally mediated hyperalgesia
Current Position: Sr. Medical Science Liaison at Sarepta Therapeutics
Email: karin.lucas@gmail.com
Timothy Smith
Postdoctoral Fellow from 2001-2004
Research Topics: Structure-Function studies of the Human Calcium-Independent Phospholipase A2 and Lipid Signalling Cascades in Murine P388D1 Macrophages induced by LPS and Zymosan
Current Position: Lead Discovery Group, Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation
Address: 10675 John J. Hopkins Drive, San Diego, CA 92121
Email: TSmith3@gnf.org
David Six, Ph.D.
Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow from 1996-2004
Research Topic: human Group IVA phospholipase A2
Current Position: Principal Scientist, Biology, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Malvern, PA
Email: six@venatorx.com
Christina Johnson, Ph.D.
Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow from 1996-2003
Research Topic: Signaling pathways that elucidate the role phosholipases A2's play in the biosynthesis of Prostaglandins using different molecular and cellular biology techniques.
Current Position: Lecturer Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCSD
Email: c3johnson@ucsd.edu
Alan Wong, MD, MPH
Undergraduate Student from 2000 -2003
Current Position: Physician, Department of Gastroenterology, Atrius Health, Boston MA
Email: alanwong3@gmail.com
Sharon Baker, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 2000-2002
Research Topic: Group V PLA2 structure and function
Email: sf_baker@yahoo.co.uk
Jennifer Whiles-Lillig, Ph.D.
Graduate Student from 1996-2001
Research Topic: Bicelles: A New System Studying Membrane Associated Peptides and Proteins
Current Position: Professor and Interim Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Sonoma State University
Yasuhito Shirai, Ph.D.
Visiting Scholar from 2000-2001
Current Position: Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Agrobioscience, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
Email: shirai@kobe-u.ac.jp
Tel & Fax: 81-78-803-5887
Isabel Varela-Nieto, BSci Ph.D.
Visiting Scientist from 1999-2000
Research topic: Aging, Neurogenesis and Neuroinflammation in Hearing Loss and Protection.
Current Position: Full Research Professor at the Institute for Biomedical Research. Alberto Sols", Medical School Madrid (CSIC-UAM). Group leader at the Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER-ISCII).
Email: ivarela@iib.uam.es
Website:www.iib.uam.es
Twitter: @IVarelaNieto
Maria Balboa, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1995-1998, Assistant Project Scientist from 1998 - 2000
Research Topic: Signal transduction in wish cells
Current Position: Professor of Biology and Biomedicine, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
Email: mbalboa@ibgm.uva.es
Website: http://www.balsinde.org
Jesús Balsinde, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1993-1996, Assistant Project Scientist from 1997 - 2000
Research Topic: Signal transduction in macrophages
Current Position: Distinguished Professor of Biology and Biomedicine and Director, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), University of Valladolid
Email: jbalsinde@ibgm.uva.es
Website: http://www.balsinde.org
Aijun Wang, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1995-1999
Research Topic: Lysophospholipase sequence cloning and characterization
Current Position: Research Scientist, Corixa
Email: wanga@corixa.com
Lee Lefkowitz, Ph.D.
Graduate Student from 1994-1999
Research Topic: Expression of PLA2 in Pichia pastoris and site-directed mutagenesis
Current Position: Retired Military Officer and Test Manager at the U.S. Army Evaluation Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD; Treasurer for Maryland Section of the American Chemical Society
Email: lee_lefkowitz@hotmail.com; lee.j.lefkowitz.civ@mail.mil
Ginnie Yang, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1996-1998
Research Topic: Molecular cloning of PLA2
Current Position: Senior Scientist, Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN
Email: Yang_Hsiu-Chiung@Lilly.com; hsiu-chiung.yang@astrazeneca.com
Marian Mosior, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1996-1998
Research Topic: Regulation of enzymatic kinetics and membrane-association of cPLA2 by ligands
Current Position: Senior Scientist, Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN
Email: MOSIOR_MARIAN_K@Lilly.com
Yijun Chen, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1997-1998
Research Topic: Expression and mechanistic study on a novel Group V PLA2
Current Position: Professor and Director, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, China Pharmaceutical University
Email: yjchen@cpu.edu.cn
Peter Tobias, Ph.D.
Visiting Scientist from 1998- 1998
Research Topic: Role of LPS in P388D1
Current Position: Visiting Investigator, Immunology and Microbiology , Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Rd.
Email: tobias@scripps.edu
Hiroyuki Shinohara, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1996-1998
Current Position: Retired
Email: smile@es-dental.com
Jean-Paul Mira, M.D., Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1996-1997
Research Topic: Express, characterize 80kD iPLA2
Current Position: Professor and Head of ICU at Hopital Cochin _ Groupe Hospitalier Paris Centre - Paris University
Email: jean-paul.mira@aphp.fr
Richard Loo, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1995-1997
Research topic: Enzyme inhibition studies of phospholipase A2
Current Position: Research Associate, University of Toronto, Department of Chemistry
Email: rloo@che.utexas.edu
Yi-Ching Lio, Ph.D.
Graduate Student from 1993-1997
Research Topic: Calcium independent phospholipase-2
Current Position: Research Scientist Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Life Sciences Division, MS 74-157
Address: 1 Cyclotron Road
Email: Ylio@lbl.gov
Andrea Huwiler, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1996-1997
Research Topic: Regulation of eicosanoid synthesis in the P388D1 macrophage cell line Assistant
Current Position:Professor, Institute of Pharmacology Inselspital INO-F Bern, Switzerland
Email: huwiler@pki.unibe.ch
Wenhong Li, Ph.D.
Graduate Student from 1991-1996
Research Topic: Phospholipid inhibitors of phospholipase A2
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
Scott Boegeman, Ph.D.
Predoctoral Fellow from 1990-1996
Research Topic: Phospholipase A2 binding and mechanisms
Current Position: Tenured Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Dallas; Director, O'Hara Chemical Sciences Institute
Email: boegeman@udallas.edu
Brent Segelke, Ph.D.
Predoctoral Fellow from 1990-1995
Research Topic: X-ray crystallography and modeling studies on phospholipase A2
Current Position: Senior Biomedical Scientist Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, POB 808
Address: 7000 East Ave., Livermore, CA 94550, L448
Email: segelke1@llnl.gov
Laure Reynolds, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1990- 1995
Research Topic: Phospholipase A2 inhibition
Current Position: Stephen Ministry Leader at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Encinitas, CA
Email: laurereyn@roadrunner.com
Kilian Conde-Frieboes, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1993-1995
Research Topic: Mechanism of cPLA2 inhibition
Current Position: Principal Scientist, Diabetes Protein & Peptide Chemistry - Novo-Nordisk A/S
Email: kcf@novonordisk.com
Leigh Plesniak, Ph.D.
Graduate Student from 1990-1994
Research Topic: NMR of phospholipase A2/ligand interactions
Current Position: Retired
Email: lplesniak@gmail.com
Ismael Bianco, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1992-1994
Research Topic: Cobra venom phospholipase A2 structure function studies
Current Position: Professor/PI Biotechnology at CEPROCOR (Center of Excellence in Products and Processes of Córdoba) Córdoba – Argentina
Lisa Ackermann, Ph.D.
Predoctoral Fellow from 1989-1994
Research Topic: Macrophage phospholipases
Current Position: Vice President, Clinical Development, Otonomy Inc., Solana Beach, CA
Website: www.otonomy.com
Email:
Suzanne Barbour, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1990-1993
Research Topic: Group VIA PLA2 in Metabolic Diseases
Current Position: Dean of Graduate School at UNC-Chapel Hill
Email: sbarbour@unc.edu
Mike Kelley, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1989-1992
Research Topic: Gene expression of phospholipase A2
Current Position: Associate Director, Regulatory Documentation and Submissions at Gilead Sciences
Email:
Ernest Curto, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1990- 1992
Research Topic: NMR structure of phospholipase A2
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow University of Birmingham, Integriderm Colonial Grant
Address: 1081 Grande View Blvd., #1123
Email:
Reto Asmis, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1989-1992
Research Topic: Signal transduction of macrophages
Current Position: Associate Director, Center for Precision Medicine; Professor of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of Medicine
Email: rasmis@wakehealth.edu
Website: Asmis Lab
Lin Yu, Ph.D.
Graduate student from 1986-1991
Research Topic: Mechanistic and inhibitory studies on phospholipase A2; novel phospholipase A2 substrates
Current Position: Patent Attorney, Jones Day, Del Mar, CA
Email: lyu@jonesday.com
William Washburn, Ph.D.
Visiting Scientist from 1988-1990
Research Topic: SIBLINKS for phospholipase A2
Current Position: Research Fellow Bristol Meyers Squib
Address: 311 Pennington Rocky Hill Road
Email: washburw@bms.com
Yingyi Zhang, Ph.D
Graduate student from 1983-1989
Research Topic: Purification and characterization of lysophospholipases from the macrophage-like cell line P388D1
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School , Brigham and Women's Hospital
Address: 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur NRB 0630-I, Boston, MA 02115
Email: yyzhang@rics.bwh.harvard.edu
Phone: 617-525-4848 (office)
Keith Glaser, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow from 1987- 1989
Research Topic: Macrophage cell activation
Current Position: Research Investigator, Pharmacology Abbott Laboratories D-47J, AP9
Address: 100 Abbott Park Road
Florence Davidson
Graduate student from 1982-1989
Research Topic: Structure, evolution and biochemical regulation of venom and mammalian secreted PLA2
Current Position: Principal Investigator NIH National Cancer Institute
Address: Bldg 37 Room 6134, 37 Convent Drive MSC 4255, Bethesda, MD 20892
Email: davidson@helix.nih.gov
Richard Stafford
Graduate student from 1982-1988
Research Topic: Physical properties of lysophospholipids and enzyme kinetics of lysophospholipases
Current Position: Associate Director of Development and Manufacturing, NextCure Inc. and member of the governing board of ReImagine Science Inc.
Email:
Website: Reimagine Science
Mark Lister
Postdoc from 1985-1988
Research Topic: Phospholipase A2 kinetics
Current Position:
Email: lister_mark_d@lilly.com
Theodore Hazlett
Graduate student from1979-1986
Current Position: Senior Research Scientist, University of Illinois
Email: tlhazlett@gmail.com
Dominique Lombardo
Postdoctoral Research Fellow from 1983-1985
Current Position: Research Director, INSERM Campus Sante Timone
Email: dominique.lombardo@unimed.fr
Andreas Plueckthun, Ph.D.
Predoctoral Research Fellow from 1978-1982
Research Topic: The Interfacial Catalysis of Phospholipase A2
Current Position: Professor, University of Zurich, Dept. Biochemistry, Zurich, Switzerland
Email: plueckthun@bioc.uzh.ch
Website: Pluckthun Lab
Alice Jarvis
Predoctoral Research Fellow from 1978-1982
Research Topic: Lysophospholipase purification and characterization
Current Position: Adjunct Professor, Kettering University
Email: aajarvis@yahoo.com
Paul Darke
Predoctoral Research Fellow from 1977-1982
Research Topic: PLA2 from cobra venom: chemical modification, ligand binding and self-association equilibria
Current Position: Consultant to the BioTech industry via Pdarke Consulting, LLC
Email: pldarke@comcast.net
Marina Adamich
Postdoctoral Research Fellow from 1976-1978
Current Position: Retired
Charlotte Kensil
Predoctoral Research Fellow from 1976-1981
Research Topic: Dependence of Enzymatic and Non-enzymatic Hydrolysis of Phosphatidylcholine on the State of Lipid Aggregation
Current Position: Consultant at Agenus, Inc.
Email: CharKensil@aol.com
Mary Roberts
Postdoctoral Research Fellow from 1975-1978
Current Position: Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at Boston College, Boston, MA
Email: mary.roberts.1@bc.edu
Thomas G. Warner
Predoctoral Research Fellow from 1970-1975
Research Topic: Metabolic engineering of CHO Cells
Current Position: Retired
Email: TWarner@intrexon.com
Barbra Eaton
Predoctoral Research Fellow 1975
Research Topic: Kinetic Mechanism of Lipolytic Enzymes
Education: Emmanuel College, Boston, Massachusetts
Anthony Ribeiro
Predoctoral Research Fellow 1975
Research Topic: NMR Studies on the Mobility and Structure of Nonionic surfactants and surfactant - Phospholipid Micelles
Education: Duke University, North Carolina