People
Virginia D. Winn, MD, PhD
Principal Investigator
Dr. Virginia Winn is the PI for the Winn Lab. She has a PhD and an MD from the University of Rochester School of Medicine, and completed her residency and fellowship at UCSF. Dr. Winn then went on to receive her Board Certification in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Maternal and Fetal Medicine from the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Purnima Iyer, PhD
Lab Manager
Dr. Purnima Iyer is the Lab Manager/Research Associate for the Winn Lab. She has a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology. Before coming to the Winn Lab, she studied the role of the endothelium in cerebral ischemia. Purnima is interested in studying placental development and the role of endothelial dysfunction in placental pathologies (focusing mainly on pre-eclampsia) using cell culture, flow cytometry, immunostaining, and Western blotting. Her other interests are hiking and gardening.
Sarah Marks
Administrative Associate
Born and raised in the Bay Area with a passion in all things medicine, Sarah provides expertise resolution to Dr. Virginia D. Winn, postdocs, visiting student researchers, visiting scholars and the Division of Reproductive, Stem Cell and Perinatal Biology at Stanford Ob/Gyn. Originally a Biochem major with an aspiration in pediatrics, her focus shifted to health policy and women’s health. Sarah completed internships with UCSF National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health (full year) and Stanford Medicine (residential program) and continues to learn medical knowledge with the advances at Stanford Medicine. Her other interests include Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and boba.
Kenisha Puckett, MS
Graduate Student
Kenisha Puckett is originally from Southern California and received her Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Riverside. Before starting graduate school, she served as a Science Educator in higher education to increase diverse talent entering the STEM workforce. As a lifelong learner, she decided to continue her academic journey by earning a Master’s degree in Cell and Molecular Biology with an emphasis in Stem Cell Biology from San Francisco State University in 2018. As a former California Institute for Regenerative Medicine fellow, she is no stranger to stem cells. Her Master’s thesis project at the UCSF Center for Reproductive Science under the mentorship of Dr. Susan Fisher investigated the impact of the environmental toxins on placental development. Today, she is a doctoral candidate with the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (ISCBRM) and co-mentored by Drs. Virginia Winn and Vittorio Sebastiano. Her interest in translational medicine is to examine the potential of placenta stem cells to drive the advancement of future therapies in Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
Amy Elizabeth Braun, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Amy is a postdoctoral researcher in the Winn Lab interested in understanding the role of fetal sex in placentation and pregnancy risk. She did her Ph.D. in Neurosciences with Theo Palmer, studying sex-dependent neurodevelopmental impairments in a mouse model of maternal illness. Working closely with Stanford’s WHSDM center, she has been an instructor and guest lecturer on the topics of sex and gender for undergraduate, graduate, and medical courses. Outside of the lab Amy is a songwriter and singer, as well as a certified yoga instructor and cat lover. .
Shilpi Seghal, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Shilpi obtained a Ph.D. in the laboratory of Dr. Pallavi Kshetrapal at Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, India. In her Ph.D. she employed molecular biology approaches and advanced statistical models to study the genomic and proteomic correlates of adverse pregnancy outcomes, especially small for gestational age births. As a Postdoctoral Researcher, Shilpi is focused on understanding the mechanistic pathways involved in preeclampsia, using 3D trophoblast organoid models derived from primary cells. Apart from science, she loves zumba, enjoys cooking and photography, and likes to travel around the world.
Yanming Wu, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Yanming is a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Winn’s lab. Her research focuses on exploring the molecular mechanisms related to endothelial dysfunction in preeclampsia. She graduated from Tongji University with MD/PhD degree in Obstetrics and Gynecology, studying placental adaptation in response to environmental exposure. She received further postdoctoral training at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in the field of epigenetic regulation in breast cancer. Outside of the lab, Yanming enjoys playing the piano, baking, and travelling.
Xixi Du Plummer, MD, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Xixi Du Plummer, MD, PhD, is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellow at Stanford Ob/Gyn. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. She then moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where she completed a combined MD/PhD program at the University of Michigan; her dissertation work focused on understanding fundamental mechanisms of stem cell development as well as aberrancies in embryonic and adult neurogenesis. She has published multiple peer-reviewed first author manuscripts and has presented her research at various national and international conferences. Dr. Plummer subsequently joined the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the MetroHealth/Case Western Reserve University program in Cleveland, Ohio. During residency, she was awarded the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine Excellence in Obstetrics Award. Dr. Plummer’s research interests include understanding the molecular mechanisms of early cell fate decisions and how abnormal placental development leads to obstetrical complications.
Jennifer Sequoia, MD, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Jennifer Sequoia is a Neonatology Fellow and postdoctoral researcher in the Winn lab. She obtained her PhD in Immunology and her MD from The University of Chicago and completed residency in Pediatrics at Stanford. During her PhD, Dr. Sequoia studied the epigenetic regulation of early lymphocyte development. Her current interests are in immune-trophoblast interactions and the molecular mechanisms that drive preeclampsia. Outside of lab, Dr. Sequoia enjoys playing ultimate frisbee and camping with her family.
Lucy Chang
Lab Technician (Life Science Research Professional 1)
Lucy graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in neuroscience and minoring in computer science. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research on social cognition by analyzing neural data using computational methods. She is an aspiring physician and is working in the lab during her gap year. In her free time, she likes playing with her dog and drawing.
Crystal Chen
Undergraduate Researcher
Crystal Chen is a senior studying Human Biology and minoring in Education at Stanford University. Crystal assists with patient recruitment and placental analysis for the EPOCH study and is passionate about maternal and fetal health research. A native Californian, she is a Mandarin interpreter and Patient Outreach Chair for Cardinal Free Clinics as well as a Photo Editor for the Stanford Daily. In her free time, she likes photography, reading, playing Sudoku, and spending time with her two dogs and friends.
Tracy Ha
Undergraduate Researcher
Tracy Ha is a senior from Washington state studying Human Biology, with a strong interest in maternal and fetal health. In her free time, she enjoys baking, skateboarding, and exploring new places to eat.
