Published on New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center (https://wadsworth.org)

Mantis Laboratory Staff

Research Scientists

  • David Vance, PhD investigates antibody interactions with outer surface proteins of the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, as part of the laboratory’s Borrelitope program supported by NIAID.  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[1]
  • Jennifer Doering, PhD is involved in pre-clinical development of subunit and combination vaccines for biodefense and re-emerging diseases, with support from NIAID, NIIMBL, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[2]
  • Graham Willsey, PhD studies molecular genetics of Borrelia burgdorferi as it relates to human infection and immune evasion. He is also actively involved in projects studying virulence mechanisms of Salmonella enterica and Vibrio cholerae.  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[3]
  • Carol Lyn Piazza is studying the function of antibodies against outer surface proteins of Borrelia burgdorferi. She is also involved in a study that is investigating Salmonella enterica genes involved in the invasion process of pathogenesis.  
  • Katherine Berman, MS is investigating the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 antibody neutralization across differing cohorts as part of the National Cancer Institute's SeroNet program.

Postdoctoral Fellows

  • Yetunde Adewunmi, PhD is working on efforts to develop next generation whole cell pertussis combination vaccines for use in low and middle income countries, as part of an Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation initiative.  
  • Elaheh Movahed, PhD is investigating antibody responses to Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface proteins in Lyme disease patients as part of the laboratory’s Borrelitope program.  [4]

Graduate Students 

  • Lindsey Tolman (PhD Program) is investigating long-lasting immune responses elicited by toxin-antibody immune complexes, especially in the context of the lung.  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[5]
  • Samantha Lindberg (PhD Program) is studying gene expression and regulation in Salmonella enterica upon encountering secretory IgA and other components of the mucosal immune system of the gut. 
  • Kathleen McCarthy (PhD Program) studies antibody-mediated protection against the tickborne transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi.  
  • Gianna Mirabile (MS Program) is investigating age-related trends in antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 and common coronaviruses.
  • Atieh Shemshadian (PhD Program) is researching the ability of anti-OspA monoclonal antibodies to interact with Borrelia burgdorferi and block its transmission.
  • Sharon Shaughnessy (PhD Program) is investigating the mechanism of T-independent activation of B cells by Borrelia burgdorferi antigen DbpA.
  • Noah Savage (MS Program) is studying Salmonella enterica's gene expression and regulation in response to secretory IgA.

Technicians

  • Grace Freeman-Gallant is using Lyme disease patient serum to study the antibody response to outer surface proteins of Borrelia burgdorferi.

Wadsworth Fellows

  • Kate DeRosa, PhD is investigating the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in serum, dried blood spots, and saliva as part of the National Cancer Institute’s SeroNet program. [6]

Administrators

  • Elizabeth Cavosie performs administrative oversight of the lab, including grant and budget management, interagency communications, and personnel management. 

Lab Alumni​

  • Adam Rodriguez (Undergraduate Student)  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[7]
  • Alison Bond (REU Student) 
  • Amanda Poon, PhD (PhD Student)  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[8]
  • Amarantha (Ami) Ballmer (REU Student)  
  • Amber Frye, PhD (PhD Student)
  • Angelene Richards, PhD (PhD Student)  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[9]
  • Anneka Prigodich (REU Student)
  • Bridget Mooney, PhD (Postdoc)  
  • Carolyn (McGuinness) Morris (Technician) 
  • Cassandra Kelly-Cirino, PhD (PhD Student)  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[10]
  • Chelsea Schiliro (REU Student)  
  • Chrystal Chadwick (Technician)
  • Claire Reynolds-Peterson, PhD (Postdoc)  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[11]
  • Claire Williams (REU Student) 
  • Clarice Pavlak (Technician)
  • Colleen Fei (Undergraduate Student)  
  • Cristina Herrera Messina, PhD (PhD Student)  
  • D'anna Nelson, PhD (REU Student) 
  • Daniel Martinelli, PhD (Undergraduate Student) 
  • Danielle (Hindes) Baranova, PhD (PhD Student)  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[12]
  • Doug Appenzeller (REU Student)  
  • Dylan Ehrbar (Research Scientist) [13]
  • Elizabeth McCarthy, PhD (Technician) 
  • Elizabeth Weyer (REU Student) 
  • Emily Gage (Technician)  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[14]
  • Erin Sully, PhD, Esq. (Postdoc)  
  • Fernando Torres-Velez, DVM, PhD (Research Scientist)  
  • Gabby Basil (Undergraduate Student) 
  • Greta van Slyke (Research Scientist) [15]
  • Hayley Novak (MS Student/Research Scientist)
  • Hector Neives (REU Student)
  • Ipneet (Penny) Dhaliwal, DDS (MS Student) 
  • Ison Chen (Undergraduate Student)  
  • Jasmine Crunk (Undergraduate Student) 
  • Jayaleka Amarasinghe, PhD (Postdoc) 
  • Jennifer (Huntington) Yates, PhD (Postdoc)  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[16]
  • Joanne O'Hara, PhD (PhD Student)  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[17]
  • John Varrone, PhD (Postdoc)  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[18]
  • Kara Levinson, PhD (PhD Student)  
  • Katie Mellon (Technician) 
  • Lacey Slater (Undergraduate Student)  
  • Laura Walker (Undergraduate Student) 
  • Lauren Rose-Boehnlein, PhD (MS Student)
  • Lillian Or (High School Student) 
  • Lori Neal (Technician)  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[19]
  • Magdia de Jesus, PhD (Postdoc)  File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[20]
  • Maira Malik (Undergraduate Student) 
  • Mara Bureau (MS Student)
  • Maria Olga Hernandez, PhD (Postdoc) 
  • Marina Yoder (Technician) 
  • Marisa Eschmann (MS Student) 
  • Mary Kate Moran (Undergraduate Student) 
  • Matthew St. Pierre (Undergraduate Student) 
  • Noelle Maloney (REU Student)
  • Paul Wahome, PhD (Postdoc) 
  • Peter Fousek (REU Student) 
  • Rabia (Aslam) Iqbal (High School Student) 
  • Rebecca D'Hondt (Technician) 
  • Robert Acuriuo (Undergraduate Student) 
  • Saiful Basir (MS Student)
  • Samantha Giffen, PhD (Undergraduate Student)  
  • Sarita Ahlawat, PhD (Postdoc) 
  • Shannon Lozito (Technician) 
  • Stacey (Anastasiya) Smith (Yermavoka), PhD (PhD Student)  
  • Stephen Forbes, PhD (PhD Student) 
  • Tia (Bumpus) Brodeur, MD, PhD (Undergraduate Student) File:ORCID iD.svg - Wikimedia Commons[21]
  • Timothy Czajka, PhD [22]
  • Todd Dembo, PhD (High School Student) 
  • Yinghui Rong, PhD (Research Scientist) 
Source URL: https://wadsworth.org/research/laboratories/mantis/staff
Links:
  1. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9913-7722
  2. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8749-774X
  3. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7595-5854
  4. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5040-399X
  5. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3205-1307
  6. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0280-2667
  7. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5966-2939
  8. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2058-8492
  9. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8189-4653
  10. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4526-8487
  11. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7877-874X
  12. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2318-428X
  13. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7872-3338
  14. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9388-8293
  15. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2646-3030
  16. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8841-9401
  17. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0562-2709
  18. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1509-6212
  19. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5149-9110
  20. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0713-8462
  21. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6845-9350
  22. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3005-8564