Lab Members

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Ari Molofsky MD PhD: Prinicipal Investigator


 

I grew up in Austin Texas and attended the University of Texas, graduating with a BS in Molecular Biology.  I trained as an MD/PhD at the University of Michigan, studying the interactions between macrophages and pathogenic Legionella pneumophila. My postdoctoral work defined a type 2 immune ‘module’ in visceral adipose tissue that limits excessive inflammation and is protective in models of type 2 diabetes. I am currently an Assistant Professor at UCSF in the Department of Laboratory Medicine as well as a practicing Hematopathologist.  I enjoy spending time with my family, eating delicious fresh fruits and vegetables, and exploring wild California.

 


Sepideh Farhat Nozzari: Laboratory Manager/Research Specialist


I have a BS from SJSU and and a Masters in Clinical Science with special emphasis on Cell and Molecular Biology/ Immunology from SFSU-UCSF joint program. As my master's thesis, I designed, optimized and validated an assay for detection of a biomarker, CD7, for diagnosis and early detection of relapses in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome. My previous research experience at UCSF has focused on natural history of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in adolescents, and the role of local and systemic immune response from initial infection to the development of cancerous lesions . I developed a high-throughput liquid multiplexing HPV genotyping assay which was validated by W.H.O. and published in 2015.

 

 

Kelly Cautivo: Post-doctoral fellow

 

Picture coming soon!  Kelly has a PhD in Biological Sciences with specialization in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica in Chile.  Her thesis work was titled "Mechanisms of lipodystrophy in the AGPAT2 deficient mouse" and obtained the highest distinction.   She worked for one-year in the lab of Dr. Jay Horton at UTSW, expanding upon her thesis work in the area of lipodystrophy.   Kelly has authored ten publications in peer-reviewed journals.  We are excited for Kelly to make great contributions at the interface of metabolism, infections, and the immune response.