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!

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.

Celine Manigbas, Ph.D. Student

Born and raised in Queens, New York, I earned my B.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Bioinformatics from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. I joined Mount Sinai in 2022 as a Bioinformatician in Andrew Sharp’s Lab, where I studied the phenotypic effects of tandem repeat length polymorphisms. In the Asgari Lab, I investigate the genetic and infectious contributors to autoimmune disease risk, with a focus on lupus. Outside the lab, I enjoy spending time with my cats, camping, and baking sourdough.

Chigoziri Konkwo, MD, Internal Medicine Resident

I am from Long Island, NY, and received my BA from University of Pennsylvania. I then received my MD from Yale School of Medicine, where I studied the genetic etiologies of rare liver diseases under the guidance of Silvia Vilarinho. I moved back to NY in 2024 for internal medicine residency at Mount Sinai. In the Asgari Lab, I am seeking to expand our knowledge of rare variant contributions to rare cholestatic liver diseases, including primary sclerosing cholangitis. Aside from research and medicine, we can talk about film, basketball, or your favorite rap/indie artists!

Paige McCullough, Associate Researcher

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!

Eitan Carroll, Intern

I am a medical student at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. At the Asgari Lab, my research has been focusing on inborn errors of immunity, integrating large genomic datasets with Mount Sinai’s biobank data. My prior research includes immunology work on T-cell responses in a hepacivirus model with Dr. Eva Billerbeck, as well as the role of PLA2G6 in neurodegeneration with Dr. Josefa Steinhauer. Outside of the lab, I enjoy baking, reading, and taking long walks.