People

Bryson Katona, MD, PhD, AGAF, CGAF

Assistant Professor
bryson.katona@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Clinical Profile

Bryson Katona, MD, PhD, AGAF, CGAF is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, where he serves as the Director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Genetics Program and Director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk Evaluation Program, and he also is a member of the Cancer Control Program of the Abramson Cancer Center. Bryson is a physician-scientist who is an expert in gastrointestinal cancer genetics, and his research program focuses on the diagnosis, risk assessment, management, and biology of hereditary gastrointestinal cancer predisposition syndromes. Bryson received his BA/MS at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by his MD/PhD at Washington University in St. Louis, and he completed his post-doctoral research in the laboratory of Dr. Xianxin Hua at the University of Pennsylvania. Bryson loves running, spending time with his wife and kids, and relaxing on the beach.

Kole Buckley, PhD

Postdoctoral Associate
Kole.Buckley@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Kole received his BS in Biology at Ohio Dominican University and his PhD in Exercise Science at the University of Toledo. During his PhD his research was centered on skeletal muscle regeneration after injury. Kole's primary research focus is centered on hereditary causes of gastric cancer, including investigating hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) due to disease-causing variants in either CDH1 or CTNNA1, as well as investigating the role of BRCA1 and BRCA2 in gastric cancer risk. Outside of the laboratory, Kole enjoys weightlifting, cooking, and practicing meditation.

Sam Levy

Graduate Student
sam.levy@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Sam graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BS in Molecular Biology. After graduating, he worked as a genetic counseling assistant at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia before starting at the University of Pennsylvania Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program. His thesis will investigate patient decision-making about CDH1 testing on multigene panel testing. Outside of his studies Sam enjoys running, tennis, and playing with his dogs.

Ariana Majer

Graduate Student
majerar@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Ariana received her BS in cell biology/biochemistry at Bucknell University. At Bucknell, she trained under Dr. Mark Haussmann, studying the effects of prenatal and acute stress on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, cellular aging, and organismal fitness. Following her graduation from Bucknell in 2020, Ariana started her PhD in the Cell and Molecular Biology: Cancer Biology program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. Her thesis work focuses on the role of the nuclear scaffolding protein menin in hereditary colon polyposis syndromes. Outside of the lab, Ariana enjoys biking, baking, and reading fantasy/sci-fi.

Grace Snyder

Graduate Student
grace.snyder@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Grace received her BA in Biology from Wesleyan University. Following graduation, she worked for the National Human Genome Research Institute as a scientific program analyst, where she supported genomics research funded by the National Institutes of Health. She is now a student at the University of Pennsylvania's Master of Science in Genetic counseling program. Her thesis will identify factors associated with pancreatic surveillance dropout in patients at high risk for developing pancreatic cancer. Grace loves a good cup of tea and is an avid rock climber.

Gillain Constantino

Clinical Research Coordinator
gillainc@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Gillain received her BS in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. After spending some time working in HIV Prevention Research, she is now overseeing multiple clinically focused Lynch Syndrome projects ongoing in the group. Gillain is an avid runner and artist.

Daniel Clay, MS

Clinical Research Coordinator
Daniel.Clay@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Danny received his BA from St. Johns College, followed by a MS in Applied Statistics from West Chester University where he learned the foundations of research design and statistical analysis. Danny oversees the ongoing clinical studies focused on pancreatic cancer early detection. He enjoys reading, playing table-top role playing games, and binging tv shows.

Keely Beyries

Research Specialist A
Keely.Beyries@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Keely received her BS in Biological Sciences from Drexel University where she spent time studying the biological effects of non-thermal plasma cell lines. She is now focused on understanding the role of menin in colon cancer tumorigenesis as well as utilizing colon organoid models to study Lynch syndrome. Outside of the lab you can find Keely training in aerial acrobatics and dance, traveling, and enjoying time with friends and family.

Michaela Dungan

Clinical Research Coordinator
Michaela.Dungan@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Michaela graduated from New Jersey Institute of Technology with a B.A. in Neurobiology. At NJIT, she was a part the SQRL lab studying the ocular-motor and visual systems, and running a study of a novel concussion protocol. She oversees the groups clinical studies focused on colon cancer and polyposis, as well as gastric cancer. Michaela loves playing sports (division I volleyball at NJIT), performing arts, and watching Marvel movies.

Marina Weber

Clinical Research Coordinator
Marina.Weber@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu

After working in communications and development for Marlboro Music and the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society for five years, Marina was inspired by her volunteer work in Philadelphia to pursue a career in medicine. Marina has a bachelor's degree in the liberal arts from St. John's College, Annapolis, and she completed her premedical studies at the Bryn Mawr post-baccalaureate program. She is interested in the intersection between the humanities and healthcare and particularly loves the works of Donne, Broyard, and Sontag on those subjects. In the group, she will be focusing on studies focusing on colorectal cancer biobanking and development of blood based colorectal cancer detection tests.

Kevin Dinh

Research Specialist A
kevin.dinh@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Kevin received his B.A. in Cell Biology and Neuroscience from Rutgers University. During his last year at Rutgers, he was a medical scribe in the Emergency Department of St. Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ. Kevin will be working in the laboratory on projects focused on hereditary gastric cancer risk including hereditary diffuse gastric cancer syndrome (HDGC) and BRCA1/2-assocaited gastric cancer. Whenever he has free time, he likes to explore different cuisines with his friends as well as playing online games. He is also currently volunteering for the Rutgers Vietnamese Cultural Dance Crew, as he was a former dancer during his undergrad.

Anitej "Tej" Gedela

Undergraduate Student
tgedela@sas.upenn.edu

Tej is an undergrad at Penn studying Neuroscience and Economics, with a minor in Healthcare Management. Tej will be working on basic science projects focused on colorectal cancer and gastric cancer in the lab. In his free time, he enjoys coaching debate, cooking, and watching basketball.

Isabel Anez Bruzual

Graduate Student
isabel.anezbruzual@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Isabel graduated from the Penn genetic counseling master's program in 2023 and then started as a cancer-focused genetic counselor at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Thomas Nyul

Research Specialist A
tnyul@sas.upenn.edu

After finishing his time in the lab Thomas started at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine in 2023.

Lily Altman

Undergraduate Student
xeb9ub@virginia.edu

After working the lab during the summer of 2023, Lily continued her undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia where she was majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience.

Samantha Williams

Graduate Student

Sam graduated from the Penn Genetic Counseling Masters program and then started as a cancer-focused genetic counselor at Jefferson after leaving the group.

Jordan Heiman

Clinical Research Coordinator

After leaving our group, Jordan went on to start medical school at Temple University.

Taylor Hojnacki

Research Specialist B

Taylor went on to join Avantor, a JNJ subsidiary, as a Translational Research Scientist after leaving the lab.

Christina Dudzik

Clinical Research Assistant

Christina went on to start medical school at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine after leaving our group

Justine Jou

Clinical Research Coordinator

After leaving our group Justine went on to become a program manager in the Division of Transplant Surgery at Penn Medicine.

Jeshua DeJesse

Graduate Student

Jeshua completed his Masters in Genetic Counseling at Penn. After graduation he started as a genetic counselor at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia