Postdoctoral Scholar

ttajima@stanford.edu

• Education
• M.P.H., School of Public Health, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan (2022)
• Ph.D., Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan (2021)
• M.D., Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan (2010)
• Research
• My research focuses on the molecular mechanisms and biomarkers of rejection after allograft transplantation. I am currently conducting surgeries to gain insight into chronic rejection after liver transplants in rat liver transplant models, as well as high-dimensional mass cytometry (CyTOF) analysis using the samples of vascularized composite tissue transplant to discern cell populations and subsets involved in the rejection.
• Outside Interests
• I like to travel! When I was a medical student, I backpacked through Asia, South America, and Africa. I would like to travel to various parts of the US with my family if I have enough time. In my daily life, I like to play soccer and basketball with my son, play in the park with my kids, and have picnics. As I have completed several full marathons, including the Tokyo Marathon and the Kyoto Marathon, I would like to try full marathons or ultra-marathons in the US.

Postdoctoral Scholar

blanchzl@stanford.edu

• Education
• M.D., Liver Surgery, Nanjing Medical University, China (2015)
• M.S., Surgery, Nanjing University, China (2012)
• B.S., Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, China (2009)

• Research
• My research focuses on regional immunity in liver. I am currently investigating the mechanism of post-translational modifications in immune response during liver ischemia-reperfusion injury. Meanwhile, I am investigating the role of extracellular vesicles and HLA-A2 in the rejection after organ transplantation.
• Outside Interests
• In my daily time, I like sports, especially running and baseball.

Graduate Student

jkpena@stanford.edu

• Education
• B.S., University of California - Irvine, Biological Sciences
• Research
• Natural killer cells! In particular: how do NK cells recognize B cells that are latently infected with Epstein-Barr virus? Are there NK cell subsets that are better equipped to recognize latent EBV? Can these cells be used as a therapeutic for EBV+ lymphomas? Stay tuned to find out!
• Outside Interests
• I like cats, showing everyone pictures of my cat, trying new baking recipes, traveling, long walks on the beach, and science (in that order).
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Research Scientist

wenmingz@stanford.edu

• Education
• Ph.D., University of Southern California 
• B.S., Qingdao University Medical College
• Research
• Having trained in the disciplines of immunology, molecular biology, and biotechnology, I have always been interested in applying state-of-the-art technologies to study human diseases and conditions. My current research focus is biomarker discovery of graft rejection in solid organ transplant patients and studying natural killer cells in viral infection using omics methods including Mass Cytometry and Next Generation Sequencing.  
• Outside Interests
• I spend a great portion of my leisure time appreciating music and art in various forms. With a group of like-minded young professionals, I run a non-profit organization in the bay area Chinese community to promote knowledge sharing and impartial discussion of public issues. 

Lab Manager

areitsma@stanford.edu

• Education
• Associate Diploma Applied Science (RMIT, Australia)
  
• Research
• After graduating, I landed in the field of Immunology and have basically never deviated. I have interests in flow cytometry and more recently mas cytometry. I prefer basic research with translational approaches to clinical relevance. My current research involves mass cytometric analysis in pediatric COVID and MIS-C.
• Outside Interests
• I enjoy spending time with my family and my 3 fur babies, 2 kitties and a goofy Siberian Husky. I also enjoy gardening and snow skiing.

Posdoctoral Fellow

ayantika@stanford.edu

• Education
• Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa, OK (2019)
  
• Research
• My passion lies in studying the mechanisms that result in host-specific immune responses to viral infections. My current research focuses on understanding the mechanisms that cause hyperinflammatory responses during SARS-COV-2 infection leading to Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). I am also exploring the role of exosomes in regulating immune responses during viral infections.
  
• Outside Interests
• While away from the bench, I enjoy painting and making jewelry.
  
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Postdoctoral Scholar

eav91@stanford.edu

• Education
• B.Sc. in Biochemistry & Cell Biology, University of California, San Diego (2014)
• Ph.D. in Biomedical Science, University of California, Riverside (2022)
• Research
• My research focuses on characterizing the immune response to the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) in pediatric transplant patients. Specifically, I am using PBMCs from patients who have had persistently high EBV infection for a span of 3 to 6 months and comparing these to patients with controlled infection. My studies have an emphasis on understanding the EBV-specific T cell repertoire and linking TCR-CDR3 sequences to function. Flow cytometry, single cell RNA-sequencing (Gene expression & T cell receptors), and molecular cloning will be used to address our questions.
• Outside Interests
• In my spare time you can find me in nature either hiking or camping.
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Research Scientist

sh727@stanford.edu

• Education
• Ph.D., First Military Medical University, China
• M.D., Second Military Medical University, Chin
• Research
• I have extensive experience in conducting research and developing animal models for various transplant procedures, including rat/mouse limb transplant, lung transplant, heart transplant, AKI, MI, and more. I possess the ability to create new animal models based on the specific requirements of different laboratories. Additionally, I am well-versed in laboratory techniques such as RT-PCR, Western blot, co-ip, cell culture, and more. Currently, my research primarily focuses on investigating the molecular mechanisms and identifying biomarkers associated with rejection after allograft transplantation. In particular, I am actively involved in conducting surgical procedures to discern the specific cell populations and subsets involved in rejection following vascularized composite tissue transplant.
• Outside Interests
• In my personal life, I am passionate about traveling and cooking. I have had the opportunity to explore numerous states within China and the United States alongside my family. When I'm not immersed in my research, I enjoy cooking various Chinese dishes, desserts, and snacks. Furthermore, during my leisure time, I take pleasure in indulging in movies and music.
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