Team Members
David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc, FCPP
Founding Director of the Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment & Laboratory
David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and one of the youngest faculty members to receive tenure in the history of Penn Medicine. He is also the Founding Director of the Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment & Laboratory, co-Founder & President of the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network, co-Founder & President of Every Cure, and the national bestselling author of ‘Chasing My Cure: A Doctor’s Race to Turn Hope Into Action.’
He is also a patient battling idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD), which he discovered a repurposed treatment for that is saving his life and others. He has also advanced 13 other repurposed treatments for diseases they weren’t initially intended for. One of the youngest ever awardees of multiple top NIH and FDA grants, Dr. Fajgenbaum has published nearly 100 scientific papers in high-impact journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and the Journal of Clinical Investigation, including a paper selected as one of the top innovations in science and medicine of 2020.
Bridget Austin, MS
Clinical Research Program Manager
Bridget Austin, MS, is the Clinical Research Program Manager for the Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment & Laboratory (CSTL) at the University of Pennsylvania. As such, Bridget leads biobanking efforts, the ACCELERATE Natural History team, and the clinical trial operations at the CSTL. Her work supports vital research into Castleman disease and related conditions. Bridget earned her MS in Psychology from Villanova University.
Larissa Borys
Clinical Research Coordinator
Larissa Borys is a Clinical Research Coordinator for the Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment & Laboratory (CSTL) at the University of Pennsylvania. She supports the ACCELERATE Natural History Registry and works closely with the CSTL’s Castlebank to ensure proper data compilation of the diagnosis and treatment processes for patients with Castleman Disease. Prior to joining the CSTL, Larissa researched biomarker discovery and development for neurodegenerative diseases at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She earned her BA in Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania. Larissa will be working at the CSTL before applying to medical school.
Joshua Brandstadter, MD, PhD, MSc
Director of Clinical Research
Dr. Joshua Brandstadter is a physician-scientist and Instructor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. As Director of Clinical Research for the CSTL, Dr. Brandstadter oversees the ACCERLERATE Natural History Registry to better understand patient experiences and the comparative effectiveness of different treatments. He cares for patients with Castleman Disease in clinic and pursues laboratory research to better understand the causes of the disease. Dr. Brandstadter holds an MSc in Integrated Immunology from the University of Oxford and a combined MD/PhD from Duke University. He completed his internal medicine and hematology/oncology training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Katherine S. Forsyth, PhD
Senior Research Investigator 
Katherine S. Forsyth, PhD is a Senior Research Investigator at the Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment and Laboratory (CSTL) at the University of Pennsylvania. She obtained her PhD in Immunology from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and was a Postdoctoral Fellow in Montserrat C. Anguera’s lab at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Currently she works in the translational laboratory to understand the mechanisms that drive cytokine storms and identify new treatments for Castleman disease. Outside of the lab Katherine enjoys tending her community garden plot and catering to the whims of her cat Theo.
Michael Gonzalez, PhD
Associate Director of Basic and Translational Research
Michael V. Gonzalez, PhD, is the Associate Director of Basic and Translational Research at the Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment and Laboratory (CSTL) within the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He obtained his PhD in Immunology and Infectious Diseases from Washington State University and was a postdoctoral fellow and bioinformatics scientist at the Center for Applied Genomics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia before coming to the CSTL. His research focuses on utilizing novel ’omics technologies to gain insights into the genetic and cellular architectures of Castleman Disease and other disorders involving autoimmunity.
Abiola Irvine
Research Specialist
Abiola Irvine is a Research Specialist in the Cytokine Storm and Treatment Laboratory at the Perelman School of Medicine. She supports the translational research team in the experimental lab by using immune-based assays and other methods to further our understanding of Castleman Disease. Prior to joining the CSTL team Abiola earned her BS in Psychology with a neuroscience minor from Haverford College and looks forward to applying to medical school in the future. Outside of the lab Abiola enjoys hiking, roller skating, and playing with her dog Hendrxx.
Kayla McHugh
Data Analyst
Kayla McHugh is a Data Analyst for the Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment and Laboratory (CSTL) at the University of Pennsylvania. She supports the ACCELERATE Registry Team (ART) by analyzing Castleman patients' medical records to gain insight and understanding of the disease's mechanism and course within its wide spectrum of onset. Before joining the CSTL, Kayla worked on diagnostic clinical trials in the Emergency Department at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). She earned her BS in Pre-medical Studies with a minor in Psychology from Thomas Jefferson University and looks forward to working at the CSTL before applying to medical school.
Payton Morrissey
Executive Assistant
Payton Morrissey is the Executive Assistant to David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc at the Cytokine Storm Treatment & Laboratory (CSTL) at the Perelman School of Medicine. She provides direct support to the Director of the CSTL and oversees calendar management and the coordination of travel and events. Prior to joining the CSTL, Payton was a cybersecurity consultant and media coordinator for a cybersecurity firm. She graduated with her B.S. in Security and Risk Analysis from the College of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State University.
Melanie Mumau, PhD
Associate Director of Immunology
Melanie Mumau, PhD, is the Associate Director of Immunology at the Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment & Laboratory (CSTL) at the University of Pennsylvania. Melanie is an experimental immunologist by training and oversees all research related to the translational laboratory. She is currently working on understanding the mechanisms that drive cytokine storms and developing new treatments for patients. Melanie earned her PhD in Microbiology & Immunology from Columbia University and prior to joining the CSTL, her research focused on how the immune system regulates the development of blood cells. Melanie enjoys playing soccer, skiing, and making pizza.
Divyaraj Singh Nirwan
Biobank Assistant
Divyaraj Nirwan is the Biobank assistant for Centre for Cytokine Storm Treatment & Laboratory (CSTL) and helps in expanding its sample biobank (Castlebank) and collaborates with members of the translational team on various tasks. He is a dedicated and skilled biotechnologist with a strong academic background in bioinformatics, pursuing his master of biotechnology at the University of Pennsylvania. He has diverse experience in quality control and innovative research projects. His expertise spans a wide range of technical and software skills, complemented by his strong organizational abilities and commitment to academic and community initiatives.
Barbara Vance, PhD, CRA
Director for Strategy and Business Development | Chief of Staff
Barbara A. Vance, PhD, CRA is the Director for Strategy and Business Development |Chief of Staff for the Cytokine Storm Treatment and Laboratory (CSTL) providing strategic leadership to the CSTL. Dr. Vance works collaboratively across teams to develop connections with leaders across drug development, biomedical research, venture capital, venture philanthropy, and government. Dr. Vance obtained her PhD from Dartmouth College and received the Dean’s Award for Biomedical Research. After completing post-doctoral training at University of California San Diego and National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI), Dr. Vance assumed increasing responsibilities for managing biomedical research and research administration serving in such roles as : Director of Pre-Clinical Support Service, (Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, NCI), Associate Director for Research Administration (Abramson Cancer Center, Penn), Executive Director for Administration (Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Medical Center), Administrative Director for Science and Technology, (Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Penn), Assistant Vice President and Associate Director for Administration (Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami); and most recently as the Vice President, Office of Research Operations including roles as the Research Integrity Officer, Institutional Official for Human Research Protections Program, and the Authorized Official – Sponsored Awards for Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health. Research interests include Immunotherapy, NK cell biology and its relevance to bone marrow transplantation and cancer and autoimmunity.
Amber Vas
Manager, Research
Amber Vas is the Manager of Research for the Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment & Laboratory (CSTL) at the Perelman School of Medicine. In this role, she oversees the administrative and operational functions of the CSTL’s various research projects and events. Amber is passionate about advancing research in rare diseases and improving outcomes for patients. She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Richmond and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Health Care Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania.
Joseph Zinski, PhD
Senior Research Investigator
Joseph Zinski, PhD is a Senior Research Investigator at the Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment and Laboratory (CSTL) within the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He received his BS from UConn in Chemical Engineer and his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in developmental biology. He is using bioinformatic, machine learning, and deep learning to develop better diagnostic tools and treatments for Castleman disease.
Anush Abelian, PhD
Research Fellow
Anush Abelian, PhD, is a Brain Foundation Research Fellow at the Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment and Laboratory (CSTL) within the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her BS in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Studies from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and her PhD in Chemistry from Saint Joseph’s University, where she investigated ketamine analogues and their pharmacological properties. Her research at CSTL focuses on advancing leucovorin as a treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and studying TCF7L2-related neurodevelopmental disorder (TRND). Her work aims to elucidate the molecular and immune mechanisms underlying TRND, assess potential therapeutic strategies, and explore the disorder’s broader implications in ASD and related conditions.