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Research
Research

Dang Research

Hien Dang, PhD
J. Wallace Davis & Gail G. Davis Chair in Surgery

1025 Walnut Street
603 College Building
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Faculty Profile
Division of Surgical Research

Our Team

Hien Dang, PhD, Principal Investigator

Dr. Dang earned her PhD in Molecular Medicine from Penn State University, followed by an outstanding Postdoctoral Fellowship at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). She began her own lab at Jefferson’s Department of Surgery in October 2018 focusing on oncogenic RNA binding proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). 

  Loves tacos and cannot lie.

Highlighted achievements include:

  • the discovery of a novel RNA binding protein (RBP) gene signature that predicts treatment response in liver cancer patients 
  • planning and development of national and international collaborations
  • execution of many large-scale studies 

Kasonde Chewe
PhD Candidate

Lawrence Chiang
Research Technician

Taylor Hill
Research Technician

Kai Ying Hong
Research Technician

Alvaro Lucci, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow

Project: Elucidating AGO2's role and its relationship with NELFE in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Fun fact: Plays musical instruments and spicy food could kill him very fast

Trish Nguyen
Research Technician

Laura Reynolds, BS
Doctoral Candidate 

Project: Validating a therapeutic targeting NELFE in HCC and investigating the mechanisms of NELFE in liver cancer.

Loves photography and going for walks around the city.

Brittany Ruiz 
PhD Student

Project: Understanding AGO2’s role in regulating transcription in hepatocellular carcinoma

Fun fact: Enjoys spending time with family and exploring Philly

Former Team Members

Rajkumar Baldeosingh, MS
Contractor, Sparks Therapeutics

 

Anna Barry, MS
Research Assistant II

Project: Using CRISPR/Cas9 to develop and validate models to study NELF-E in HCC, also exploring AGO2 as a possible oncogenic RBP.

Loves going to the beach, hiking, & Founders craft beer.

Meghan Grim, BS
Master's Student

Project: Investigating the use of antisense oligonucleotides and the involvement of NELFE in pancreatic cancer

Fun fact: Enjoys hiking and hanging out with houseplants

Ryan Lamm, MD
General Surgery Resident, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

Project: Genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen to identify therapeutic targets against NELFE-driven HCCs.

Fun fact: Was once the lead singer in a rock band.

Yotsawat Pomyen, PhD
Fulbright Thai Visiting Scholar 

 

Michelle Schafer, BSc 
Medical Student, Thomas Jefferson University

 

Adam Wojnar, MS
Research Assistant II

Project: Using bioinformatics to investigate the relationship between NELFE and MYC-induced HCCs.

Believes cheese and beef jerky are the two greatest things in the world.

Kai Zhang, PhD
Assistant Professor
Nanjing University, China

 

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