Research Team | Babushok Lab | Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Daria V. Babushok, MD PhD
Assistant Professor
daria.babushok@uphs.upenn.edu
(215) 614-1847

Dr Babushok is a physician-scientist and an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr Babushok graduated from Bryn Mawr College and earned a medical degree and a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania. She completed the internal medicine residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital, followed by the haematology-oncology fellowship and a postdoctoral fellowship in hematopoiesis at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr Babushok’s research and clinical interests focus on the development of acquired and inherited bone marrow failure, disease progression and malignant transformation, and improving treatment in patients with bone marrow failure.

Sushant Kumar, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar

Sushant received his M. Tech degree in Biotechnology from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati in 2014. During Masters his work was focused on studying pathogenic endothelial cell-RBC interaction in context to the cerebral malaria pathophysiology. Later, he earned a PhD in Immunology from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in April 2021. His work was focused on elucidating the role of Interleukin-9 and Th9 cells in T cell lymphoma and autoimmune inflammatory disease. Sushant joined the Babushok lab in August 2021, and he is excited to contribute to translational research and investigate the mechanism of autoimmunity in bone marrow failure.

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Awards:

2022 Young Investigator Draft research grant (co-sponsored by Aplastic Anemia and MDS International Foundation)
2022 Aplastic Anemia and MDS International Foundation Award
2023 AAMDSIF Scientific Meeting Travel Award

Bolormaa Munkhbileg, MD, MMS
Postdoctoral Scholar

Bolormaa received her MD degree from the Health Science University of Mongolia in 2014. During her undergraduate studies, she volunteered in the research lab studying colon cancer and its early detection method via immunohistochemical staining. Later in 2018, she received her MMS degree from Seoul National University, where she conducted research on ulcerative colitis new anti-inflammatory drug effects, and Innate immune responses against viral and bacterial infection during pulmonary fibrosis. Bolormaa is excited to contribute to translational research and investigate the mechanisms of immune-mediated marrow failure.

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Frontiers | Insights into the emergence of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria | Immunology (frontiersin.org)

Awards:

2023 AAMDSIF Scientific Meeting Travel Award

Christopher Sande, MD
Chief Resident, Combined Anatomic Pathology & Clinical Pathology Program

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Oral presentation at the 2022 European Association of Hematopathology-Society for Hematopathology meeting

Awards:

2023 Uplifting Athletes Young Investigator Draft Award, co-sponsored by Team Telomere
2023 American Society of Hematology Abstract Achievement Award Recipient

Gabriel Aleixo, MD
Hematology-Oncology Fellow

Dr Aleixo is a former baker and chef. Dr. Aleixo graduated in medicine from UNOESTE in Brazil, followed by a research fellowship in geriatric oncology at UNC Chapel hill. After completing internal medicine residency at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Aleixo joined the hematology-oncology fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is currently a 1st year fellow. Dr. Aleixo's research interests are in clinical research, and, particularly, in quality improvement and healthcare delivery.

Negin Parnianfard, MD

Negin received her MD degree from Tabriz University of Medical Science in 2015, marking the beginning of her journey in the field of healthcare. She then spent four years, as a general physician, where she also participated in cancer research at the Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Negin is passionate about medical research. In the Babushok lab, Negin is investigating paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobunuria cell expansion in the context of various immune hematologic disorders.

Ping Lin
Research Specialist

Ping received her B.Sc. degree in Biological Sciences from China Agricultural University. Also she received her B.Sc. degree in Computer Sciences from Augusta State University. Ping has over 10 years of experience in cellular and molecular biology using different experimental systems, including work with Zebrafish and mammalian cells, nucleic acid biochemistry, protein purification and characterization, modeling of oral cancer in telomere biology disorders, and neurogenetics. Ping is involved in immune pathogenesis studies of acquired aplastic anemia and other bone marrow failure syndromes.

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Diana Abraham
Medical Student Researcher

Jessie Cheng
Medical Student Researcher

Aura Enache
Medical Student Researcher

Aura Enache is a medical school student at Drexel University College of Medicine. During her undergraduate years, she conducted research on the regulation of the NLP3 inflammasome in the department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Thomas Jefferson University, where she received the Academic Achievement Award for her outstanding academic performance. After graduating with a B.S. in Biotechnology, she continued her research on pyroptosis as a research technician, presenting her findings at multiple conferences. She also co-authored a manuscript in Nature Communications on the role of chloride sensing by WNK1 in regulating NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Aura's work then led her to Amicus Therapeutics, where she worked as an Associate Scientist. Here, she developed flow cytometry potency assays for novel therapies intended for use in clinical trials, with a focus on Batten disease, a lysosomal storage disorder. As member of the Babushok lab, Aura is investigating methods to analyze the T cell repertoire of Aplastic Anemia patients.

Andrew Hu
Medical Student Researcher

Andrew is a first-year MD student at the Perelman School of Medicine. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2021 with a BA in biophysics and biochemistry and an MS in Chemistry. Prior to medical school, Andrew conducted computational genomic research in rare diseases at CHOP. He is interested in further exploring immunogenetics in the Babushok lab, where he works on analysis of TCR repertoires in aplastic anemia patients.

Awards: 2023 American Society of Hematology Abstract Achievement Award Recipient

Alexander Howe
Undergraduate Research Student (Roy and Diana Vagelos Scholars Program in the Molecular Life Sciences)

Joanna Papaioannou
Undergraduate/Masters Research Student (Roy and Diana Vagelos Scholars Program in the Molecular Life Sciences)

Joanna is an undergraduate student in the Molecular Life Sciences program at the University of Pennsylvania, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a Master’s degree in Chemistry. She has previously worked in immunogenetics and cancer immunotherapy labs, and is currently exploring the mechanisms of immune-mediated bone marrow failure in the Babushok Lab. In particular, she is studying the functional significance of somatic missense HLA variants for patients with aplastic anemia.

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Phi Beta Kappa Award

Shannon Zheng
Undergraduate Research Student

Shannon is an undergraduate student at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in biology. She is highly interested in immunology research and had previously worked in a lab that studies HIV pathogenesis during high school. Through working in the Babushok lab, Shannon hopes to expand her knowledge of the immune system within the context of immune-mediated bone marrow failure and continue developing research skills. Shannon is currently working on a project that investigates how mutations in HLA alleles impact HLA molecule presentation in acquired aplastic anemia.

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

JCI Insight - Pathogenicity and impact of HLA class I alleles in aplastic anemia patients of different ethnicities

Awards:

2022 Pincus-Magaziner Family Undergraduate Research and Travel Fund

Emmanuella Akomeah-Sirleaf
American Physician Scientist Association, Virtual Summer Research Intern

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Penn Center for Global Genomics and Health Equity Summer Student Intern Funding Award

Jamie Atienza
Research Specialist, Undergraduate Student

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Carine Cattier
Summer undergraduate research student

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Emergence of clonal hematopoiesis in the majority of patients with acquired aplastic anemia - PubMed (nih.gov)

Stone Chen
Post-Baccalaureate Researcher

After growing up in Indiana, Stone graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2021 with his B.A. in Biology and minors in Neuroscience and Chemistry. During his junior and senior years, Stone worked in the lab investigating the genetic drivers of clonal hematopoiesis in patients with telomere biology disorders, and was awarded Honors in Biology for his undergraduate research work. After graduation, Stone has stayed with the lab and continues to study the genetic drivers project while also working as a medical scribe. He is thrilled to contribute to translational research and to further our understanding of the mechanisms of bone marrow failure.

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

University of Pennsylvania Jumpstart for Juniors Research Award
Biology Honors Thesis for work in the laboratory

Publications:

Inherited bone marrow failure with macrothrombocytopenia due to germline tubulin beta class I (TUBB) variant - Shah - British Journal of Haematology - Wiley Online Library

Melissa Colden
Research Specialist

Melissa focused on public health and nutrition throughout undergrad and spent her free time in the chemistry lab. After graduating in 2013, she volunteered in a research lab at the San Francisco VA Medical Center studying the roles of miRNAs in prostate cancer and developing her molecular biology skills. She later accepted a full-time research position in an immunology lab at Stanford studying viral responses in transplant patients and immune regulation. Melissa is excited to contribute to translational research and investigate bone marrow failure through the lens of the immune system.

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Frontiers | Insights into the emergence of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria | Immunology (frontiersin.org)

Rujul Deolikar
Masters Student

Matthew Connor, MD
Hematology-Oncology Fellow - Clinical Research

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Connor, M. et al. "Hypomethylating agents are associated with high rates of hematologic toxicity in patients with secondary myeloid neoplasms developing after acquired aplastic anemia", Haematologica 2024 Early View | Haematologica

Colby Freeman
Haverford College Koshland Integrated Natural Sciences Center (KINSC) Summer Scholar

Colby Freeman is an undergraduate student at Haverford College, where he is pursuing a major in Biochemistry and a minor in Health Studies. Colby has a strong interest in a future career in medicine and has gained valuable experience by shadowing physicians in the Emergency Department. Recently, Colby has been working in a materials chemistry lab at Haverford, but he will be joining the Babushok lab over the summer. He is excited to delve into the biology of short telomere syndrome, focusing specifically on the role of ATM kinase.

Ben Frost
Medical Student

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

JCI Insight - Pathogenicity and impact of HLA class I alleles in aplastic anemia patients of different ethnicities

Awards:

2023 Rose Meadow Levinson Memorial Research Paper Prize

Kathy Guo
Research Specialist

Hugh Huang
Research Specialist

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Tristan Lim
Medical Student

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Germline POT1 variants can predispose to myeloid and lymphoid neoplasms - PubMed (nih.gov)

Awards:

Carolyn L. Kuckein Student Research Fellowship - Alpha Omega Alpha
ITMAT MS1 Summer Internship
Adolph J. Creskoff Prize

Taylor Linaburg
Medical Student

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Hodgkin lymphoma patients have an increased incidence of idiopathic acquired aplastic anemia - PubMed (nih.gov)

Awards:

ASH HONORS (Hematology Opportunities for the Next Generation of Research Scientists) Award
Adolph J. Creskoff Prize

Emily Liu
Research Specialist, Summer

Madeline Maier
Summer Undergraduate Researcher

Caitlin Ritz
Research Specialist

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Postvaccination graft dysfunction/aplastic anemia relapse with massive clonal expansion of autologous CD8+ lymphocytes - PubMed (nih.gov)

Neeharika Prathapa, MBBS
Clinical Research Scholar

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Connor, M., Prathapa N., et al. "Hypomethylating agents are associated with high rates of hematologic toxicity in patients with secondary myeloid neoplasms developing after acquired aplastic anemia", Haematologica 2024 Early View | Haematologica

Sally Nijim
ITMAT Medical Student Researcher

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

JCI Insight - Pathogenicity and impact of HLA class I alleles in aplastic anemia patients of different ethnicities

Awards:

ITMAT MS1 Summer Internship

Yash Shah
Medical Student (TJUH)

Yash Shah is completed his undergraduate education at The Pennsylvania State University, and he is currently a first year medical student at Thomas Jefferson University’s Sidney Kimmel Medical College. In the year before starting medical school, Yash worked as a Research Specialist in the closely affiliated laboratory of Dr. Tim Olson at the Penn/CHOP Comprehensive Bone Marrow Failure Center and worked with Dr. Babushok on improving diagnostics in aplastic anemia. Yash previously worked in various cancer biology labs, and he is now excited to advance clinical and translational research that directly helps hematologic patients. Yash is contributing to multiple projects.

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Natasha Stanley
American Society of Hematology Medical Student Scholar

Natasha graduated from Haverford College in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Her thesis work involved using fluorescent proteins to study organelle inheritance in the green alga Chlamydomonas. After graduation, she began working as a full-time research scientist in the Babushok lab investigating various bone marrow failure disorders such as aplastic anemia, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, and most recently dyskeratosis congenita. Natasha later matriculated to the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine as a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine candidate and is excited to continue contributing to clinical and translational research in bone marrow failure as she is also most interested in pursuing a career in pediatric hematology-oncology.

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Awards:

2021: Minority Medical Student Award Recipients - Hematology.org

2020: Minority Medical Student Award Recipients - Hematology.org

An Steensels
Research Specialist

Amy Yu
Summer Undergraduate Internship Program (SUIP) Intern

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Summer Undergraduate Internship Program (SUIP) | IDEAL Research | Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (upenn.edu)

Wenda Ye
Research Specialist

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab:

Alan Zheng
Undergraduate Research Student (Summer)

Alan is an undergraduate student at the University of Rutgers New Brunswick with a major in biology. He is on the pre-med track with an interest in immunology and hopes to broaden his knowledge in this field as well as to further his research skills through experience at the Babushok lab. In his summer research internship, Alan is working on a project to determine whether a patient mutation in the beta-tubulin gene TUBB, which is located on chromosome 6, is genetically linked to another genetic abnormality called 6p Loss of Heterozygosity (6pLOH), which is commonly seen in patients with immune-mediated bone marrow failure. Alan's project will determine whether a patient who had a germline TUBB mutation and then developed somatic 6pLOH has lost the mutant or wild type copy of the TUBB gene.

Publications and awards from work in the Babushok Lab: