Laboratory Alumni
Recent Alumni
Tyler Hansen
M.S. Student, Bioengineering
hansent@seas.upenn.edu
I earned my B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Villanova University in May 2022, where I completed a senior thesis regarding the improvement of CAR T manufacturing and processing through perfusion and selection under Dr. William Kelly. Following my graduation, I completed my M.S.E. in Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania in December 2023, where I began working as a research specialist under Dr. Saar Gill focusing on a novel engineered cytokine to selectively stimulate CAR T cells in vivo. I am particularly interested in improving the safety and efficacy of adoptive cell therapies through gene editing and combination therapies. I am well-versed in flow cytometry as well as whole blood processing and basic cell culture.
Darryl Sams
Research Specialist
darryl.sams@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
I received my B.S. in Biology, with a minor in sociology, from Morehouse College in May of 2023, with the distinct honor of being a Co-Valedictorian. Upon graduation, I began working as a research specialist under Dr. Saar Gill and Dr. Nathan Welty researching improving CAR-macrophage persistence using CD33-engineered hematopoietic stem cells to treat solid-tumor cancers. My tasks were, primarily, the detection of chimeric antigen receptors in myeloid cells and macrophages by target locus PCR amplification.
Om Gandhi
M.S. Student, Bioengineering
omgandhi@seas.upenn.edu
I completed my B.A. in Neuroscience and Public Health from the University of Pennsylvania, where I conducted research on perturbing the MYCN-polyamine axis to rewire the tumor microenvironment and promote immunotherapy in neuroblastoma under Dr. Michael Hogarty. As part of the 3+1 program, I completed my M.S. in the lab of Saar Gill, focusing on genetically editing hematopoietic stem cells to prevent their differentiation into immunosuppressive, tumor-associated macrophages in solid tumors. In 2025, I received the Rhodes Scholarship, and moved to Oxford, UK to pursue my PhD.
Asuncion Borrero-Borrego
Postdoctoral Fellow
Asuncion.Borrero@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu
I am a physician-scientist with a strong focus on translational cancer immunology, particularly focusing on genetically engineered cell therapies. I am currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, where I integrate clinical practice, gained during my hematology specialization in University Hospital Dr. Negrin, in bone marrow transplantation with research on Acute Myeloid Leukemia immunotherapy. During previous experiences, I applied various techniques like cell isolation, phenotyping, and sequencing for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. I have a keen interest in cell therapy and gene engineering, which led me to join Dr. Saar Gill's lab to work on a novel cell therapy using Cytokine-induced memory-like NK cells, utilizing gene editing, electroporation, flow cytometry, bioluminescent imaging, and murine models. I aim to combine my clinical background with expertise in cellular immunotherapy to pursue an independent academic career in this field.
Additional Alumni
Marco Ruella, MD
Saad Kenderian, MD
Miriam Kim, MD
Peter Braendstrup, MD
Andrew Best
Kristen Blouch
Michael Klichinsky, PharmD PhD
Yang Wang, MD
Daniel Schreeder, MD PhD
Haorui Sun
Steve Shan
Katherine Cummins, MBBS PhD
Ofrat Beyar-Katz, MD PhD
Arjun Gupta
Nicholas Petty
Soona Rajkumar