People

| Lab Manager

TBD

| Clinical Research Coordinator

TBD

Imama Ahmed BS | Clinical Project Manager (Data and Operations)

Imama received her BS in Physiology & Neuroscience from UC San Diego in June 2020. Previously she has worked at the Department of Surgery and at the Tuszynski lab at UCSD. At the Tuszynski lab she worked on spinal cord injury research which focused on repairing spinal cord injury through stem cell treatment. She joined the Cherqui Lab in March 2021 and provides clinical research support. She will be contributing to the development and implementation of a clinical trial in the area of confocal microscopy for subjects with cystinosis.

Yzabelle Ann Remigio | Administrative Assistant

Yzabelle received her BS in Sociology from San Diego State University in May 2023. Outside of work, she pursues her creative passion in competitive dance, participating in several junior and adult teams, including iLLusionists, Animazing, and SDSU VSA Modern. She recently joined the Cherqui lab in September 2024 and provides adminstrative support and assistance to the team.

Anusha Sivakumar Ph.D. | Project Scientist & Project Manager

Dr.Anusha Sivakumar is a Project Scientist and Project Manager at the Cherqui lab, leading the IND-enabling studies for Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA) program. Her research is dedicated to identifying and establishing the safety and efficacy profile of gene-edited hematopoietic stem cells as a potential therapeutic intervention for FA. Previously, she worked as a Senior Scientist in Research & Development at ThermoFisher Scientific Inc., focusing on commercial antibody validation and exosome sample preparation programs. During her doctoral studies, she investigated the role of mitochondrial structure-function relationships in the onset and progression of cardiac diseases, with particular focus on oxidative stress-induced injuries.

Veenita Khare Ph.D. | Post-Doc Fellow

Veenita received her PhD from CSIR- Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (CSIR-IICB) (Kolkata) India, where she investigated the role of the RNA helicase p68 (DDX5) in oncogenic signaling pathways. She joined Dr. Shannon Lauberth's lab at UCSD in January 2021 to explore the function of enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) in cancer. On receiving her PhD degree, she began working in Dr. Cherqui's lab in June 2021 to pursue her strong interest in hematopoietic stem cells and translational research. Her current project focuses on studying novel molecular mechanisms involving the Cystinosin protein and characterizing new mouse models for cystinosis. This research could lead to new therapeutic approaches for treating cystinosis.

Rafael Badell Ph.D. | Post-doc Fellow

Rafael received his MRes and PhD from Cardiff University in the UK where he investigated the cellular pathology of neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington and lysosomal storage diseases with a specific focus on different forms of Batten disease and Niemann Pick disease for the purposes of drug screening. During his PhD he also carried out multiple drug screening projects to identify potential small molecule therapies for lysosomal storage diseases. During his MRes he was awarded a letter of commendation as well as the Best Student Award for the best performance overall in his cohort. His PhD was funded by the Batten Disease Family Association and the Life Science Research Network Wales. Rafael strives to increase our understanding of lysosomal storage disease pathogenesis and find ways to treat these. In June 2021 Rafael joined the Cherqui lab as a Postdoc to continue developing therapeutic approaches for lysosomal storage diseases with a focus on stem cell transplantation and gene therapy using mouse models.

Jessica Schenck Ph.D. | Post-doc Fellow

Jessica received her PhD from The George Washington University in 2024, where she investigated the role of the viral protein Nef on neuroinflammation and demyelination in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. She joined the Cherqui lab in August 2024 to pursue her passion for translational neuroimmunology. Her current project focuses on uncovering the underlying mechanisms of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease and developing hematopoietic stem cell-based gene therapies.

Betul Beyza Gunes, M.D., M.Sc. | Post-Doc Fellow

Dr. Betul Beyza Gunes completed her medical education in Istanbul, Turkey, before enhancing her expertise with a master's degree in translational medical research from Heidelberg University, Germany. In July 2024, she joined the Cherqui lab as a postdoctoral scholar, where she employs cutting-edge computational tools and high-throughput next-generation sequencing to unravel the mechanisms behind hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell treatment in Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Gunes' research specifically focuses on epigenetic and transcriptomic regulation, building upon her previous experiences in translational research. Her work exemplifies the application of advanced computational methods to address critical biological questions. Beyond her professional pursuits, Dr. Gunes cherishes time with her family, engaging in various outdoor activities and indulging in her passion for cooking.

Rola Chen | Graduate Student Researcher

Rola Chen received her BS degree at UC San Diego in March 2023 and continued as a BS/MS student in Dr. Cherqui's lab for learning the therapeutic effects of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) on genetic disorders. She has an interest on studying neurodegenerative diseases.

Sol Diaz | Graduate Student Researcher

Sol earned her Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience with a minor in Cognitive Science from the University of California, Los Angeles in June 2023. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Molecular Biology at San Diego State University. In October 2023, she joined the Cherqui Lab as an intern through the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s (CIRM) Bridges to Stem Cell Program. Her research project focuses on investigating the therapeutic potential of hematopoietic and progenitor stem cell transplantation and gene therapy for treating Alzheimer’s disease.

Frankie Son | Graduate Student Researcher

Frankie is currently pursuing a Master's in Biology here at UC San Diego and joined the Cherqui Lab in June 2023. She also received her B.S. in Molecular and Cell Biology at UC San Diego in 2023. She focuses on translational research regarding lysosomal storage disorders, especially Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IIIC (MPS IIIC), and aims to better understand its pathogenesis and help develop an effective gene therapy. She and her collaborators utilize stem cell transplantation for gene therapy in mouse models to explore innovative therapeutic approaches for these rare genetic disorders.

Keneth Munoz | CIRM Intern

Keneth is a second-year undergraduate majoring in biology. In August 2024, he joined the Cherqui Lab as an intern through the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s (CIRM) Bridges to Stem Cell Program. He plans to receive his bachelor's degree in biology from UC San Diego and then pursue an MD/PhD program to continue his passion for serving others and his love for research. In his free time, he enjoys camping with family and friends, attending Dodger games, and listening to Olivia Rodrigo. He is currently working on the Friedreich's Ataxia project, an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder that affects many organs reliant on mitochondrial efficacy.

Henry John Basila Rabamad | CIRM Intern

Henry John Basila Rabamad is an undergraduate student majoring in biotechnology at Cal State University San Marcos. In August 2024, he joined the Cherqui Lab as an intern through the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s (CIRM) Bridges to Stem Cell Program. In his free time, he enjoys playing sports, being outdoors, and traveling. He is currently working on on using hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) to develop a potential gene therapy for Alzheimer's disease.