Nikos Tapinos, MD/PhD

Associate Professor

Director of Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics and Plasticity

Sidney A. Fox and Dorothea Doctors Fox Endowed Chair

Email: nikos_tapinos@brown.edu

I was born and raised in Athens, Greece. I received my MD/PhD degrees from the National University of Athens, Greece. My PhD dissertation was conducted in the Department of Pathophysiology with a focus on Molecular Immunology. This work culminated in cloning a strain of Coxsackie virus as the underlying trigger of an autoimmune syndrome in humans and earned several awards in international meetings.

A postdoctoral training at The Rockefeller University (New York, NY) introduced me to the field of Molecular Neuroscience where I studied how pathogenic Leprosy Bacteria invade and regulate the glial cells of the peripheral nervous system to produce peripheral neuropathy. This work revealed for the first time a mechanism for non-immune mediated demyelination and uncovered new signaling pathways that regulate glial cell functions. Following my postdoctoral training at Rockefeller, I joined the Faculty at Geisinger Clinic where I established the Cancer Epigenetics and Plasticity Laboratory and held the position of Director of Neurosurgery Research.

An opportunity to join the Faculty of the Department of Neurosurgery at Brown University prompted a departure from Geisinger Clinic in 2016. Currently, I am an Associate Professor at the Department of Neurosurgery and the Director of Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics and Plasticity at Rhode Island Hospital.

John P. Zepecki, MS

Ph.D. Student in the Pathobiology graduate program at Brown University

Email: john_zepecki@brown.edu

Ola Hassan, MPharm

Ph.D. student in the Pathobiology graduate program at Brown University

Email: ola_hassan@brown.edu

Twitter: @Ola_hassan262

I am Ola, from Egypt!

I received my Pharmacy and my master’s degree from Cairo University, Egypt. My master’s thesis was on characterizing the postoperative infections and the antibiotics usage following open heart surgeries. After coming to US, I worked as a research fellow at Szabo Lab (now at Harvard University) to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in inflammation and immune signaling in the liver. At Tapinos Lab, my project is focused on the role of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in regulating the stemness in glioblastoma, unraveling the mechanistic regulation HDACs impart inside the glioblastoma stem cell nucleus and using this understanding to approach a novel epigenetic based-therapy. Outside the lab, I enjoy traveling, exploring history and nature with my little family!

Adrianne Corseri, BS

Ph.D. student in the Neuroscience graduate program at Brown University

Email: adrianne_corseri@brown.edu

Mattia Pizzagalli, BS

MD/PhD student at Warren Alpert Medical School / Pathobiology graduate program of Brown University

Email: mattia_pizzagalli@brown.edu

Hello, I am Mattia. Originally from Switzerland, grew up mostly in US and went to Boston College for undergrad. I worked in a lab studying the mitochondrial proteome and the modification of its cysteine-residues. After graduating with a Biochem degree, I moved to Vienna, Austria for two years where I studied Solute Carrier Proteins and helped develop a PROTAC molecule targeting solute carriers. In the Tapinos Lab I am adapting culture methods with the goal of creating an accurate cerebral organoid with which to study GBM invasion and development. In my free time I love to play basketball, go on hikes and rock climb.

Owen Leary, BS

MD/PhD student at Warren Alpert Medical School / Pathobiology graduate program of Brown University

Email: owen_leary@brown.edu

I’m Owen, originally from Rhode Island (and still here!).

I graduated from Brown in 2018 with a degree in Biomedical Engineering & Neuroscience, and have spent several years studying the clinical applicability of various patient imaging modalities in the diagnosis and treatment of brain and spine diseases. I joined the Tapinos lab interested in further exploring the pathobiology, diagnosis, and treatment of primary cancers of the brain and spine. This summer, I am investigating the possibility of tracking disease status through quantification of peripherally circulating miRNAs in patients with glioblastoma. Outside of lab, I love traveling, gardening, watching movies, and hanging out with my cats, Basil & Tilly

Hyeyeon Hwang, BS

PhD student in the Computational Biology at Brown University

Email: hyeyeon_hwang@brown.edu

I'm Hyeyeon! I received my bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the University of California, Davis. As an undergrad and then a Junior Specialist in the LaSalle Lab, I contributed to analysis pipelines for studies on the epigenetics of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder. My current research interests lie at the intersection of epigenetics, neuroscience, and machine learning. Co-advised by Dr. Ritambhara Singh, I am interested in developing and applying genomic analysis tools that are based on machine learning algorithms.

Emilija Sagaityte

Medical student at Brown University

Email: emilija_sagaityte@brown.edu

I am currently pursuing medicine through the Program in Liberal Medical Education. In the Tapinos lab, my project focuses on investigating epitranscriptomics and the epigenetic mechanisms regulating glioblastoma. Outside the lab, I enjoy creative writing and science journalism.

Lauren Sugarmann

Undergraduate student at Brown University

Email: lauren_sugarmann@brown.edu

Previous Lab members

Margot Martinez Moreno, PhD. (Currently, Assistant professor at Brown University)

Charlotte Guetta-Terrier, Ph.D. (Currently, Senior Scientist I at Chugai Pharmabody Research in Singapore)

Bedia Akosman M.D/ Ph.D. (Currently, Research Scientist at Rhode Island Hospital)

Blessing Akobundu, Ph.D. (Currently, Postdoctoral Associate at Merck Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA )

David Karambizi, Ph.D. (Continuing his M.D/Ph.D program at Warren Alpert Medical school )

Yusuke Suita, Ph.D. (Currently, Postdoctoral Associate at Seattle Children hospital )

Kristen Fregaso, Ph.D.

Oliver Tang ( Currently, a Medical student at Brown University)

Joseph Chen ( Currently, a Medical student at Brown University)

Julia Fisher ( Currently, a Medical student at SUNY Downstate Med)