People

Crystal N. Marconett, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

(she / her / hers)

Associate Professor

Department of Integrated Translational Sciences

 Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope

Prior: Associate Professor of Translational Genomics, USC

Prior: Assistant Professor of Surgery, KSOM, USC

Postdoctorate, Dept of BMM, University of Southern California

Ph.D: Molecular and Cell Biology, Emphasis: Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at Berkeley

B.S: Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Minor: Chemistry, University of California at Santa Cruz

Tawfeeq Al-Mansur, BS

(he / him / his)

Masters Program; Translational Biotechnology, USC

B.S. Loyola Marymount University

A.S. Los Angeles Southwest College

Jonathan Castillo, Ph.D.

(he / him / his)

Postdoctoral Scholar

Ph.D. Cancer Biology and Genomics: University of Southern California

M.S. Chemistry, Option - Biochemistry: California State University, LA

B.S. Biochemistry: UCLA

Michele Ramos Correa, B.S.

(she / her / hers)

Ph.D. Candidate, Cancer Biology and Genomics

B.S. Biochemistry: California State University, Northridge

NSF Graduate Research Fellow

Donna Loza

(she / her / hers)

Research Coordinator I 

Lung Cancer Biobank

Department of Surgery

B.S. Biochemistry: California State University, Northridge

Aaron M Neely, Ph.D.

(he / him / his)

Postdoctoral Scholar

Ph.D. Pharmacology and Toxicology: University of Louisville

M.S. Pharmacology and Toxicology: University of Louisville

M.S. Animal Physiology and Developmental Biology: University of North Texas

B.S. Biology/Chemistry: Paul Quinn College

Mauri'Anna Richardson, B.S.

(she / her / hers)

Roberts Summer Academy Research Intern


B.S. Chemistry, Whofford College, Class of '2025

Nellie Simonian

(she / her / hers)

Summer Research Intern

AS, LA Mission Hills College


Eun Sung, M.S.

(he / him / his)

M.S. Translational Biomedical Informatic Masters Program, USC


Minxiao Yang, M.S.

(he / him / his)

Ph.D. Student, Cancer Biology and Genomics

M.S. Biochemistry: USC

B.S. Biological Sciences: Minzu University, China

Lab Alumni

Noah Shulkin (Research Associate II)

Project: Alveolar Organoid model development & implementation

Currently: MD student, University of Arizona, Class of '2028

Bhavik Bajania (URAP undergraduate Research Fellow, Lab Technician)

Project: LncRNA influence on NER DNA damage repair

Currently: MD student, Burnett School of Medical at TCU, Class of '2028

Ezuka Ogbolu (URAP undergraduate Research Fellow)

Project: KP mouse model activation in AT1 cells 

Currently: Undergraduate at University of Southern California, Biochemistry class of '2024

Andrea Lanz (Summer Research Fellow, Chuck Lorre Research Scholars Program)

Project: EGFR oncogenic activation in diverse cells of lung origin 

Currently: Undergraduate at University of California, Irvine, '2026

Rosario Sarita Ayma Vidal (summer 2023 volunteer)

Project: LINC00261 function in lung adenocarcinoma

Currently: Undergraduate at Cornell University

Christel Pellico (BRAVO HS STAR Program)

Project: CRISPR cloning of epigenetic toggle switch

Currently: Undergraduate at University of Southern California, Neuroscience '2026

Erik Hernandez Catalan (summer research fellow, Bridging the Gaps 2023)

Project: Alveolar Epithelial cell type I-driven LUAD histology

Currently: Undergraduate at Cal State University, Northridge

Mary Illagyueva (BRAVO HS STAR program, 2022-2023)

Project: In vitro effects of LINC00261 on response to DNA damaging agents

Currently: Undergraduate Student at UC Riverside

Sophia James, MS (Communication management, USC)

Project: In vitro effects of LINC00261 on MHC Class II gene expression

Mayela Norwood, BA (summer research fellow, Bridging the Gaps 2022)

Project: Effect of Interferon Gamma on LINC00261 expression

Aakriti Singh, MS (Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine MS program,2021-2022)

Project: Effect of epigenomic alterations on basal cell differentiation

Evan Mihalakakos, MPH (Masters of Public Health)

Project: Determining modulatory effects of lncRNAs on DDR inhibitors

Currently: PostBaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Program at the National Institute of Health, Bethesda MD

Tianchun Xue, M.S. (Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine MS program 2019 - 2021)

Thesis project: Evaluating the impact of long non-coding RNAs on tumor mutational burden

Currently: PhD Student at University of Tennesse, Knoxville

Lin Miao, M.S. (Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine MS program, 2019 - 2021)

Thesis project: Generation of an epigenetic toggle switch to test lncRNA function in lung adenocarcinoma

Currently: PhD Student at Virginia Tech

Samantha Joseph, B.S. (Care2 Post-Bac Program 2019-2020)

Lab project: Defining the influence of lncRNAs on TMB in lung adenocarcinoma

Currently: Pre-med clinical internship

Yinchong Wang, M.S. (Translational Genomics MS program 2018-2020)

Thesis Project: Implementation of CRISPR epigenetic activation technology in lung cancer cells to study lncRNA tumor suppressor function

Currently: PhD Student at Ohio State University

Riya Goel, B.S. (Undergraduate Researcher 2017-2020)

Lab project: Functional characterization and bioinformatic analysis of the lncRNA RMST on lung cancer cell proliferation in vitro

Currently: Clinical Research Coordinator in the Dept. of Medicine at Stanford University

Gopika Nandagopal, M.S. (Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine MS program 2017-2019)

Thesis project: Defining functional domains in the LINC00261 tumor suppressor

Currently: PhD Student at University of Vermont

Zhengmin Cong, M.S. (Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine MS program 2017-2019)

Thesis project: In vivo characterization of LINC00261 function as a tumor suppressor

Currently: PhD Student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Stephanie Bellerez, B.S. (Post-Bac Internship CSULA 2018-2019)

Lab project: Effect of lncRNAs on cellular response to chemotherapeutics

Currently: Bachelors of Nursing Student at Mount St. Mary's

Amrita Bhat, B.S. (Undergraduate Researcher 2016-2019)

Currently: Medical Student at WUSTL

Vishaly Kumaran, M.S. (Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine MS program 2015-2017)

Thesis project: Functional characterization and bioinformatic analysis of LINC00261 effects on lung cell proliferation in vitro. - 2017

Currently: Research Scientist at Applied Biologic Materials, INC

Autumn Saizan, M.D. (Summer Research Fellow 2016)

Lab project: Characterizing epigenomic influence on LINC00261 expression

Currently: Johns Hopkins Dermatology Fellowship '23-26

Shandy Shahabi, M.S. (Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine MS program 2014-2016)

Thesis Project: Characterizing the anti-proliferative effects of LINC00261 in lung adenocarcinoma

Currently: Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego