Samira Asgari, Assistant professor

I started my research group at Mount Sinai in 2022. I completed my M.Sc. studies at the University of Tehran, Iran (Hossein Baharvand’s lab). I moved to Lausanne, Switzerland to pursue a Ph.D. degree in human genomics of infectious disease at EPFL (Jacques Fellay’s lab) in 2012. In 2017, I moved to Boston for my postdoctoral training in human statistical and population genomics at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Soumya Raychaudhuri’s lab). I love to read, hike, and discover new cheeses to try!

Jane Brown, Data Scientist

I moved to NYC in 2014 after obtaining my BS (Math-Computer Science) and MS (Computer Science) degrees from Brown University. I spent most of the following decade of my career at various tech companies doing a mixture of machine learning, cybersecurity, and generalist software engineering.  Now, I’m trying something a bit different – working on sepsis at the Asgari Lab. I’m inordinately fond of immersive theatre.  If you’ve seen something cool, I’m always delighted to hear about it.

Chad Hogan, Postdoc

I am a southwest Florida native, earning my BS in Biotechnology from Florida Gulf Coast University. I began my PhD in Genetics at Stony Brook University in 2016, conducting my research in the virology laboratory of Dr. Laurie T. Krug, which later relocated to the National Cancer Institute at the NIH. As a postdoc in the Asgari lab, I plan to further develop my bioinformatics skills as I move into the field of human genetics, with hopes of advancing personalized medicine in the realm of infectious diseases. In my spare time, I enjoy long walks, baking, and all types of gaming!

Abhijith Biji, Ph.D. Student

I moved to NYC in 2022 after obtaining my BS and MS degrees from the Indian Institute of Science. Previously trained in virology, I now study the genetic and environmental factors that cause differences in susceptibility to infectious diseases. My idiosyncrasies include my love for aesthetic visualizations and biostatistics. If you can whip up a conversation about South Indian classical music, you are already my favorite!

Ashley Richardson, Ph.D. Student

In 2018, I moved to New York City to pursue a Master’s in Biomedical Sciences at Mount Sinai. Under the guidance of Dr. Dusan Bogunovic, I expanded my knowledge in immunogenetics in relation to rare diseases. As a PhD student in the Asgari Lab, I am excited to enhance my bioinformatics skills and explore the role of somatic mutations in inflammation. Outside of the lab, I enjoy traveling, learning French, and spending time with animals, especially dogs!

Maya Singh, Ph.D. Student

I moved to New York in 2024 to start my PhD at Mount Sinai. I have earned my BS in Computational Biology from UCLA and my Master of Biotechnology from the University of Pennsylvania. My background is in HIV vaccine and therapeutic development. In the Asgari Lab, I am currently interested in exploring the relationship between human genetics and infectious diseases. Outside of lab I enjoy board games, reading books, and taking long walks.

Eitan Carroll, Intern

I am currently a junior at Yeshiva University pursuing a degree in Biology on the Pre-Med track. In the past, I worked under the supervision of Dr. Eva Billebeck at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine where I researched the effect of certain peptides on the immune response of NrHV infected mice. I enjoy research in the area of genetics and genomics, as well as baking and hiking in my spare time.

Paige McCullough, Intern

I am a rising senior at Barnard College studying computational biology on the pre-med track. I have previously worked with Dr. Mendelsohn Curanaj at Weill Cornell Hospital, conducting quality improvement research on hyperglycemia. At the Asgari Lab, I am excited to hone my computational biology skills while learning more about genetics. I love to read in my spare time and am always looking for new recommendations!

Rechuma Hafter, Intern

I’m a Brooklyn native and an undergraduate student at Hunter College. In the past, I’ve studied immune responses of human cells infected with environmental bacteria, such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus variants as a student in RockEDU CURE. I’m excited to develop bioinformatics skills within the field of genetics and genomics. I enjoy RPG video games and developing new recipes.