Department of Cell and Cancer Biology

Department of Cell and Cancer Biology Postdoc Profiles

Postdoctoral fellows

 Himadri Biswas

Himadri Biswas, Ph.D.pm

Zou lab, BHS 440, (419) 383-4164
himadri.biswas@utoledo.edu

Education:
B.S., 2004 - Microbiology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
M.S., 2006 - Biotechnology, University of Burdwan, Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal, India
Ph.D., 2016 - Biochemistry, Univ of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Research Interests:  Eludicating the structure-function relationships of ATR (ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related) prolyl isomers on carcinogenesis and tumorigenesis
 Qingbin Cui

Qingbin (Tim) Cui, Ph.D.   pm

Zhang lab, BHS 435, (419)-383-4322  
qingbin.cui@utoledo.edu

Education
B.S., 06/2008 - Pharmacy, Zhengzhou Univ, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
Ph.D., 06/2014  - Medicinal Chemistry, Jinan Univ, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Research interests:  Synthesis and mechanism study of novel small-molecule anticancer drugs 

Megan Drier

Megan Dreier, Ph.D.pm

de la Serna lab, BHS 303, (419) 383-4133
megan.dreier@utoledo.edu

Education
B.S., 05/2007 - Biology, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio
Ph.D., 05/2012 - Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Toledo

Research interests:  Cell cycle and tumor biology; currently studying the effects of the inhibition of chromatin regulators on melanocyte development in melanoma 

 David Escobar

David Escobar, Ph.D.pm

Zhang lab, BHS 435, (419) 383-4322
david.escobar@utoledo.edu

Education
B.S., 08/2008 - Biochemistry, Univ de Concepcion, Concepcion, Biobio, Chile
09/2010, Professional qualification, Univ de Concepcion
Ph.D., 04/2015 - Cell and Molecular Biology, Univ de Concepcion

Research interests:  Subjacent mechanisms of the gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer cell lines 
 Sophia Josephraj

Sophia Josephraj, Ph.D.pm

Zhang lab, BHS 435, (419) 383-4322 
sophia.josephraj@utoledo.edu

Education

B.S., 2010 - Biochemistry, Holy Cross College, Bharthidasan University, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India
M.Sc., 2012 - Biochemistry, Holy Cross College, Bharthidasan University
M.Phil., 2013 - Biochemistry, Bharthidasan University
Ph.D., 2019 - Biochemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India

Research interests:  1) Kinase transcriptions factors in gene expression regulation, signal transduction, cell growth and differentiation; 2) Multiple mechanisms of drug resistance in fatty acid synthase

 yibo luo

Yibo Luo, Ph.D. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/yibo.luo.2/bibliography/public/

Zou lab, BHS 440, (419) 383-4164
yibo.luo@utoledo.edu

Education

Ph.D., 2011 - Biochemistry and Molecular biology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
M.Sc., 2009 - Developmental Biology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
B.S., 2007 - Biological Sciences, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China

Research interests:  My current research is to investigate the potential role of the mitochondrial ATR in spontaneous oncogenesis while exploring the implications of our finding in cancer therapeutics and prevention. 

Dr. Yetunde Makinwa

Yetunde Makinwa, Ph.D.           pubmed

Zou lab, BHS 440, (419) 383-4164
yetunde.makinwa@utoledo.edu

Education:
MBChB, 2011 - Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
M.S., 2014 - Biomedical Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
Ph.D., 2021 - Cancer Biology, The University of Toledo College of Medicine & Life Sciences, Toledo, OH

Research Interests:  Understanding the role of ATR (ataxia telangiectasia and Rad-3 related) protein in the interplay between apoptosis, oncogenesis and aging. 

 su shang

Su Shang, Ph.D.           pubmed

Li lab, BHS 302, (419) 383-4446
shang.su@utoledo.edu

Education:
B.S., 07/2011 - Biological Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Ph.D., 07/2018 - Cell Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

Research Interests:  Tumor dormancy in cancer bone metastasis; the roles of tumor microenvironment in drug resistance of  cancer bone metastasis. 

picture of Dr. Shobhit Srivastava

Shobhit Srivastava, Ph.D.                                                                                               

pubmed

Raman lab, BHS 405, (419) 383-4165
shobhit.srivastava@utoledo.edu

Education:
BPharm.,  2008 - Uttar Pradesh Technical University, Lucknow, India
MPharm., 2010 - Uttar Pradesh Technical University, Lucknow, India
Ph.D., 2017 - King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India

Research Interests:  Elucidation of mechanistic basis for drug-resistance mechanism in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) with an emphasis on targeting translation of oncogenic mRNAs; pharmaceutical chemistry, drug design, evaluation of drug toxicity and metabolomics

 yawei zhao

Yawei Zhao, Ph.D.pm

Li lab, BHS 302, (419) 383-4666
yawei.zhao@utoledo.edu

Education:
B.S., 06/12 - Biological Sciences, University of Ludong, Shandong, China
M.S., 06/15 - Microbiology, University of Nanjing Medical, Nanjing, China
Ph.D., 02/20 - Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

Research Interests:  The role of tumor microenvironment and tumor metastasis in mCRPC development and treatment.

 Xunzhen Zheng

Xunzhen (Sean) Zheng, M.D.pm

Furuta lab, BHS 467, (419) 383-4428
xunzhen.zheng@utoledo.edu

Education:
M.S., M.D., 06/1997 - Hematology, Central South Univ, Xiangya Medical College, Changsha, Hunan, China

Research Interests:  The involvement of nitric oxide pathway in breast cancer development and treatment




Last Updated: 3/24/23