Meet the team
Dr. Shiri Gur-Cohen
Dr. Gur-Cohen is stem cell biologist whose innovative work on lymphatic vascular niche for hair follicle stem cells opened the door to fundamental research areas to advance therapeutics for enhancing tissue regeneration.
Dr. Gur-Cohen is currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Regenerative Medicine at the University of California San Diego. Dr. Gur-Cohen’s work with Dr. Elaine Fuchs at The Rockefeller University in New York unearth the lymphatic capillary network as a novel stem cell niche component, and her multidisciplinary strategy has advanced our knowledge of how stem cells synchronize and coordinate tissue regeneration. Dr. Gur-Cohen earned her Ph.D. in the Department of Immunology in Dr. Tsvees Lapidot’s lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, and completed her B.A. in molecular biochemistry and M.Sc. in medical sciences at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Dr. Gur-Cohen has published multiple high-profile papers in top tier scientific journals and has presented leading-edge scientific discoveries around the world.
Dr. Gur-Cohen seeks to perform innovative and fundamental research that would aid our understanding of 'stemness' identity and behavior.
Madison Conte. M.S.
Research Assistant
Madison earned her M.S. in Biological Sciences in Dr. John Eme’s Lab at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM). She also graduated with a B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from CSUSM. Madison enjoys crafting, playing disc golf, reading, and spending time with her family. She loves all things Disney and goes to Disneyland as often as she can! Madison is eager to learn more about lymphatic capillaries surrounding hair follicle stem cells and is excited to be in the Gur-Cohen lab!
Ananya Goyal
Master Student, CIRM fellow
Ananya Goyal is a second-year Biomedical Engineering Masters CIRM fellow. Ananya is studying chromatin dynamics during tissue regeneration. Ananya loves to hike, run, hang out with friends and kick back with a good movie!
Vicky Han
Master Student
Vicky Han is a first-year BS/MS graduate student at UC San Diego. She also graduated with a B.S. in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC San Diego. Vicky is interested in the relationship between stem cell fate decisions and stem cell niche during tissue regeneration. In her free time, she likes to watch baseball games and go indoor climbing with her family and friends.
Katya Kazulina
Undergrad Researcher
Katya is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Neurobiology at UC San Diego. Katya is interested in attending Medical School and becoming a specialized doctor. In the Gur-Cohen’s Lab, Katya is developing a novel stem cell tracing system. In her free time, Katya is enjoy lifting weights, swimming, and trying new cooking recipes. Katya is eager to expand her knowledge of tissue regeneration and work alongside our collaborative team!
Sophia Vivar
Undergrad Researcher
Sophia is a third-year student majoring in General Biology at UC San Diego. In the lab, Sophia is studying lymphatic-epithelial stem cell interactions and is excited to uncover potential therapeutic strategies to reestablish the regenerative potential of the skin. In her free time, she enjoys playing various sports, going to the beach, and spending time with family and friends.
Elanit Leiter
Undergrad Researcher
Elanit is currently pursuing a B.S. in Bioengineering: Biotechnology at UC San Diego. Beyond her academic pursuits, she finds joy in various activities such as playing volleyball, practicing yoga, cooking, and running. Eager to expand her knowledge beyond the classroom, Elanit is enthusiastic about gaining hands-on laboratory experience, particularly in understanding the role of lymphatics in tumor growth. Outside of her studies and lab work, she values spending quality time with family and friends.
Tristin Rammel. M.S.
Research Assistant
Tristin joins us from the field of marine microbiology. After receiving his bachelor’s and master’s in marine science from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD, Tristin spent a year in the private sector working on developing Algal Biofuels at Viridos Inc. (formerly Synthetic Genomics). Tristin is studying how vascular circuits in the tumor microenvironment shape cancer initiation and progression. In his free time, Tristin enjoys film photography (@tristin_shoots on Instagram), freediving, exercising, and following both Formula 1 and the UFC as an avid fan.
You!
We are excited to have talented and passionate individuals join our team.
Lab alumni
Gloria Udogu
Undergrad Researcher
Riam Badr
Undergrad Researcher