Associate Researcher

John joined the Horowitz lab in January 2024 as an undergraduate research volunteer. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences with a minor in Chemistry from Hunter College in May 2025.

Currently, he is an Associate Researcher and plays multiple roles in the lab, spanning administrative, organizational, and research responsibilities. His primary research focus is on understanding the functional competition defining the C1q–CD16 axis. He is developing a model system that enables co-expression of C1q and CD16, which can then be modulated (via CRISPR) to study downstream functional consequences. In addition, he contributes to and supports research projects across diverse settings, including myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), bladder cancer, and women’s health.

He plans to pursue a career in medicine, with the long-term goal of integrating immunology research and translational science with clinical practice, in order to better understand how immune regulation and dysfunction contribute to human disease and to apply this knowledge toward improving diagnosis, treatment strategies, and patient care.

Fun fact: I saw Taylor Swift and Ice Spice on the same night.