Motahareh Arjomandnejad

PhD candidate

Education:

BSc: Cellular and Molecular Biology, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran
MS: Biotechnology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran 
PhD: Medical Biotechnology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran (2014-)
PhD: Immunology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA (2019-)

A limiting factor in widespread application of gene therapy is the induction of an immune response. In systemic Adeno Associated Virus (AAV) gene therapy, there is an immune response to both the AAV vehicle and the introduced transgene. My project focuses on generation of chimeric antigen receptor regulatory T cells (CAR-Tregs) to suppress an immune response against AAV gene therapy and the introduced transgene.

Ashley Harkins

PhD candidate

Education:

BS: Drexel University
PhD: UMass Chan Medical School (2021-) 

Co-mentored by Dr. Robert Brown, MD, DPhil. Working on CAR Treg therapies for neurodegenerative disorders, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Focusing on alleviating pathological inflammation in the central nervous system. 

Hillary Hoyt

PhD candidate

Education:

BS: Behavioral Neuroscience, Northeastern University
PhD: UMass Chan Medical School (2024-)

Working on CAR Treg therapies for neurodegenerative disorders, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), with a focus on alleviating pathological inflammation in the central nervous system. 

Maria Predtechenskaya, PhD

Post-doctoral Fellow

Education:

BSc: Microbiology; Computer Science, Arizona State University
PhD: Immunology and Microbiology, Montana State University

Working on defining the effects of pre-existing immunity and long-term immune responses to chimeric antigen receptor regulatory T cells (CAR Treg), Adeno Associated Virus (AAV), and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) therapies.

Meghan Blackwood

Research Associate IV

Travis

Lab Mascot