Our Trainees

Predoctoral Trainee

University of Illinois Chicago

Mentors: Konstantinos Chronis, PhD and Sandra Pinho, PhD

Research Project: Uncovering the Mechanisms of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Specification Using Novel Reprogramming Approaches

Itay Solomon is an MD/PhD candidate in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). He is pursuing his PhD training in UIC’s Graduate Education in Biomedical Sciences (GEMS) program. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics from the University of Los Angeles, California (UCLA).

Itay’s project focuses on understanding how transcription factors (TFs) drive the reprogramming of somatic cells into hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). His research aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying TF-mediated HSC conversion, with the goal of advancing cellular reprogramming strategies to create new, transplantable HSC sources for regenerative medicine applications.

Predoctoral Trainee

Northwestern University

Mentors: Minoli Perera, PharmD, PhD and Susan Quaggin, MD

Research Project: Predictive Modeling in African Americans: Applications to renal disease and platelet function

Anmol Singh is a 3^rd year PhD candidate in the Driskill Graduate Program of Life Sciences (DGP) at Northwestern University. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University and a Master of Science degree in Biostatistics from Columbia University. 

Anmol's current research focuses on using computational methods to integrate genetic and non-genetic data types to create more accurate predictors of platelet function, renal function, and antithrombotic drug response in African American populations. Through his project, Anmol hopes to identify novel associations and predictors relevant to African Americans who suffer from chronic kidney disease and adverse platelet-related events in response to antithrombotic drugs at a higher rate when compared to European populations. These predictors of risk could help bridge the gap in our knowledge around renal and platelet function in African Americans.   

View Anmol Singh My Bibliography

Predoctoral Trainee

Northwestern University

Mentors: Douglas E. Vaughan, MD and Lisa D. Wilsbacher, MD, PhD

Research Project: Endothelial PAI-1 as a Mediator of Lipotoxic and Aging-Related Cardio-Renal Dysfunction.

Johnson Yang is a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Driskill Graduate Program in Life Sciences (DGP) at Northwestern University. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology from San Francisco State University and a Master of Science in Stem Cell Science.

His research focuses on how metabolic and aging-related stress drive endothelial dysfunction and cardio-renal injury through activation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Despite growing evidence linking PAI-1 to metabolic and aging-related injury, the cell type–specific mechanisms by which lipotoxic stress and aging activate PAI-1 to drive cardiovascular and renal decline remain poorly understood. His project aims to define how lipotoxic and aging stress upregulate endothelial PAI-1 to promote glomerular and vascular dysfunction, thereby advancing understanding of the molecular pathways that underlie cardio-renal aging and metabolic disease.

View Johnson Yang's My Bibliography

Postdoctoral Scholar

University of Chicago

Mentors: Sam Armato, PhD and Arlene Chapman, MD

Research Project: Magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) radiomics of the non-cystic kidney parenchyma of children and young adults with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD)

Dr. Linnea Kremer is a postdoctoral researcher under the joint mentorship of Arlene Chapman (Nephrology) and Sam Armato (Medical Physics) at the University of Chicago. She received her doctorate in medical physics from the University of Chicago in 2024, a Master of Science in bioengineering from the University of Nottingham (U.K.) in 2018, and a Bachelor of Science in physics from Roanoke College in 2017. She was a predoctoral fellow with Chicago KUH FORWARD from 2021-2023.

Her research applies radiomic features derived from magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) quantitative T1 and T2 maps to characterize the non-cystic kidney parenchyma in children and young adults with ADPKD. Currently, there is no established risk stratification method for pediatric ADPKD patients under 15 years of age. This work will ultimately aid in guiding early intervention strategies and advancing personalized care for young patients with ADPKD.

Postdoctoral Scholar

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

Mentors: Arun Sharma, PhD and Gal Finer, MD

Research Project: An Acellular Approach for Bladder Tissue Regeneration

Neeti Gandhi, PhD, is a postdoctoral scholar at the Lurie Children’s Hospital. She holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University, an M.S. in Biophysics and Physiology from Georgetown University, and both an M.Eng and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Virginia Tech.

Dr. Gandhi’s research focuses on developing a novel cell-free based solution for urinary bladder tissue regeneration by using a small molecule and biomaterial composite. She will engineer bladder organoids as a valuable tool to delineate regeneration mechanisms and optimize such a system. Her goal is for this solution to be widely adaptable to treat bladder dysfunction.

View Dr. Gandhi’s My Bibliography

Predoctoral Trainee in Hematology

University of Illinois at Chicago

Mentors: Sandra Pinho, PhD and Peng Ji, MD, PhD

Research Project: Regulation of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells by VCAM1

Training period: January 2022 - December 2022

Predoctoral Trainee in Urology

Loyola University Chicago

Mentors: Alan Wolfe, PhD and Elizabeth Mueller, MD, MSE

Research Project: Investigating the role of the urobiome and Enterococcus faecalis in lower urinary tract disease

Training period: January 2022 - December 2023

Predoctoral Trainee

Rush University  

Mentors: Eunsil Hahm, PhD and Jochen Reiser, MD, PhD

Research Project: Functional Reprogramming of Bone Marrow Myeloid Cells in Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis

Training period: October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2024

Predoctoral Trainee in Nephrology

Northwestern University

Mentors: Jennie Lin, MD and Susan Quaggin, MD

Research Project: Uncovering Mechanisms of Risk-Variant APOL1-modulated Inflammatory Signaling in Macrophages and Endothelial Cells

Training period: January 2022 - May 2023

Predoctoral Trainee

Northwestern University

Mentors: Paul DeCaen, PhD, Susan Quaggin, MD, Neha Kamat, PhD

Research Project: Lipid and glycosylation regulation of PKD2 channel

Training period: January 2023 - August 2024

View Megan Larmore's My Bibliography

Predoctoral Trainee in Nephrology

University of Chicago

Mentors: Sam Armato, PhD and Arlene Chapman, MD

Research Project: MRI imaging biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and assessment of disease progression in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD)

Training period: January 2022 - December 2023

Predoctoral Trainee

Northwestern University

Mentors: Susan Quaggin, MD and Navdeep Chandel, PhD

Research Project: Exploring the Cardioprotective Effects of SGLT2 Inhibitors

Training period: July 2023 - April 2025

View Maggie Fain's My Bibliography

Predoctoral Trainee

University of Illinois Chicago

Mentors: Tanika Kelly, PhD, MPH, James Lash, MD, and Martha Daviglus, MD, PhD 

Research Project: Dynamic Elements of the Human Genome and Kidney Disease Risk in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)

Training Period: January 2024 - June 2025

View Brenna Kirkpatrick's My Bibliography

Predoctoral Trainee

University of Illinois Chicago

Mentors: Kostandin V. Pajcini, PhD and Kiwook Kim, PhD

Research Project: Jagged-1⁺ myeloid-derived suppressor cells facilitate recovery of the bone marrow endothelium after myelosuppression

Training period: January 2024  - December 2024

View Thilinie Bandara's My Bibliography

Predoctoral Trainee in Nephrology

University of Illinois at Chicago

Mentors:  David Perkins, MD and Patricia Finn, MD

Research Project: Strain-resolved Metagenomics in Kidney Transplantation

Training period: January 2022 - December 2022

Predoctoral Trainee in Hematology and Medical Student Research Training Supplement Awardee

University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Medicine 

Mentors: Santosh Saraf, MD and Jim Lash, MD 

Research Project: Impact of Healthy Diet on Sickle Cell Nephropathy

Training period: June 2022 - May 2023

Postdoctoral Scholar in Nephrology 

Northwestern University 

Mentors: Pinelopi Kapitsinou, MD and Evan Scott, PhD 

Research Project: Peptide Targeted Nanocarriers for Enhanced Drug Delivery to Inflamed Kidney Endothelium 

Training period: March 2022 - February 2023 

Postdoctoral Scholar

Loyola University Chicago

Mentors: Ivana Kuo, PhD and Arlene Chapman, MD

Research Project: The activation and downstream signaling pathways mediated through PC2 by osmosensation in kidney cells

Training period: March 1, 2022 - February 28, 2025

View Dr. Márquez Nogueras’s My Bibliography

Postdoctoral Scholar in Urology

University of Illinois at Chicago

Mentors: Donald Vander Griend, PhD and Natalie Reizine, MD

Research Project: Therapeutic Targeting of Stem Cell Transcription Factor SOX2 in Prostatic Disease

Training period: January 2022 - December 2023

View Dr. Vellky's My Bibliography.

Postdoctoral Scholar

University of Chicago

Mentors: Luka Pocivavsek, MD, PhD and Ka Yee Lee, PhD

Research Project: A Multi-Physics Approach to Understanding Geometric Remodeling of Surgically Created Arteriovenous Fistulas

Training period: July 2022 - June 2024

Postdoctoral Scholar in Nephrology

Northwestern University

Mentors: Paul DeCaen, PhD and Arlene Chapman, MD

Research Project: CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing of S. cerevisiae applied to the discovery of Polycystin-2 channel activators using a cell growth-based assay

Training period: March 2022 - February 2024

View Dr. Esarte Palomero's My Bibliography

Postdoctoral Scholar

Northwestern University

Mentors: Lucy Godley, MD, PhD and Navdeep Chandel, PhD

Research Project: Epigenetic control of erythroid differentiation

Training period: July 2023 - June 2024

Postdoctoral Scholar

Lurie Children's Hospital and Northwestern University

Mentors: Susan Quaggin, MD, Evan Scott, PhD, and Pinelopi Kapitsinou, MD

Research Project: Harnessing the protective effects of SARA to uncover novel targets for treatment of podocytopathies

Training period: May 2022 - May 2024

Postdoctoral Scholar

University of Chicago

Mentors: Ted Skolarus, MD, MPH, FACS; Peter Angelos, MD, PhD, FACS, MAMSE; Mary Hammes, DO; Rita McGill, MD, MS

Research Project: Prolonged catheter use for hemodialysis: Understanding outcomes and barriers to transitioning to permanent access

Training Period: July 2023 - June 2025

View Dr. Liu's My Bibliography

Postdoctoral Scholar

University of Illinois at Chicago

Mentors: Rosalba Hernandez, PhD and James Lash, MD

Research Project: Positive Psychology's Role in Enhancing CKD Outcomes in Diverse Populations

Training period: May 2024 - May 2025

Postdoctoral Scholar

Lurie Children's Hospital

Mentors: Robert Liem, MD and John Rogers, PhD

Research Project: A Feasibility Study on the Use of a Novel Wearable Device for Evaluating Biophysical Markers of Pain in Children with Sickle Cell Anemia

Training Period: July 2024 - June 2025

Postdoctoral Scholar

University of Chicago

Mentors: Milda Saunders, MD, MPH, Neda Laiteerapong, MD, MS, and Tipu Puri, MD, PhD

Research Project Screening, Referral, and Use of Novel Agents in Patients with Diabetic Kidney Disease at the University of Chicago

Training period: May 2025 - June 2025

View Dr. Kowalczyk’s My Bibliography