People

We team of smart, curious, and supportive people who want to do interesting science together.

The lab culture we are trying to achieve is one where everybody belongs, and we are helping each other learn interesting things and grow in different dimensions. The absolute foundation is that we will respect and accept each other as people.  We will share our curiosity with each other. We will challenge each other intellectually, sometimes intensely, to try and achieve a better and deeper understanding. We will help each other get the work done. Nobody will advance at the unfair expense of anybody else. We will fall short in these goals; we will try again and try harder.

We are always looking for new collaborations and lab members! Contact us.

Current lab members

Liz Guo

Junior Specialist

Originally from China, I moved to the Bay Area where I discovered my passion for medical science, especially cancer. I graduated from UC Berkeley with a background of chemical biology. I'm a cat fan and hot pot lover. In my free time, I like to cook or have a little fun wrestling with my dad's cat.

Farhana Taher

Postdoc

I hail from the capital of Bangladesh. In 2019, I embarked on an exciting journey to the United States to pursue my PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). My passion lies in unraveling the intricate molecular and cellular mechanisms that underpin human diseases, driving my desire to make meaningful contributions to this vital field. I am particularly inspired by the collaborative and interdisciplinary atmosphere at UCSF, which fuels my enthusiasm and ambition to advance our understanding of complex biological processes. In addition to my academic pursuits, I have a deep interest in natural places. During my leisure time, I enjoy cooking and feel happy when others appreciate my homemade food.

Nate Harder

Postdoc

I am from San Francisco and studied Biochemistry at UC Davis before working as an RA studying arthritis at UC San Diego. I pursued a PhD in Bioinorganic Chemistry at UC Davis, studying the effects of macronutrients on copper biology, then spent two years in biotech. I am interested in how dyshomeostasis and activation of stress pathways lead to onset of disease states. Outside of lab, I enjoy board games, trying new food, Muay Thai, and playing with my cat. 

Alejandro Martinez

Student

I grew up in the Bay Area and earned my B.S. in Public Health Sciences from UC Irvine. I am now a master's student in Environmental Health Sciences at UC Berkeley, where I am completing my thesis research in the VCA Lab. My research uses spatial transcriptomics and unbiased niche discovery to investigate the cellular organization of fibrotic lung tissue, with a particular interest in the presence of tertiary lymphoid structures. More broadly, I am interested in how stromal cells contribute to pathological changes during disease. Outside of the lab, I enjoy exercising and coloring. 

Narda Serrano

Lead Research Financial Analyst

I am the Lead Research Finance Administrator at the Pulmonary division in charge of managing the diverse funds (federal and private) assigned to our faculty. During my free time, I enjoy going back in reading novels from Latin American Boom writers. Lately, I am having so much fun by going to rock band concerts with my daughter.

 

 

 

 

 

Alumni