Faculty

Daniel C. Bullard, Ph.D.

Daniel C. Bullard, Ph.D.

Professor and Graduate Program Director

Daniel C. Bullard, Ph.D.

Daniel C. Bullard, Ph.D.

Professor and Graduate Program Director

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Research interests: Mac-1-mediated mechanisms regulating the development and progression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other inflammatory diseases

Email: Daniel.Bullard@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Swadesh Das, Ph.D.

Swadesh Das, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Swadesh Das, Ph.D.

Swadesh Das, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Research interests: Genomic changes in the development of cancer, with a specific focus on melanoma

Email: swadesh.das@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., FNAI

Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., FNAI

Professor

Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., FNAI

Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., FNAI

Professor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Director of the VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine

Research interests: Molecular basis of cancer and neurodegeneration, development of improved diagnostics and therapeutics for related diseases

Email: paul.fisher@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Zheng Fu, Ph.D.

Zheng Fu, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Zheng Fu, Ph.D.

Zheng Fu, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Research interests: Molecular mechanisms of cell cycle control and genome stability as they relate to carcinogenesis; development of novel, targeted cancer therapies

Email: Zheng.Fu@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Rajan Gogna, Ph.D.

Rajan Gogna, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Rajan Gogna, Ph.D.

Rajan Gogna, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Email: Rajan.Gogna@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Michael Grotewiel, Ph.D.

Michael Grotewiel, Ph.D.

Professor and Interim Chair

Michael Grotewiel, Ph.D.

Michael Grotewiel, Ph.D.

Professor and Interim Chair

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Associate Dean for Graduate Education

Research interests: Molecular-genetic basis for ethanol-related behaviors in the fruit fly genetic model, Drosophila melanogaster

Email: Michael.Grotewiel@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Suyun Huang, M.D., Ph.D.

Suyun Huang, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor

Suyun Huang, M.D., Ph.D.

Suyun Huang, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Research interests: Molecular and cellular mechanisms of tumor progression, invasion and metastasis, genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression including histone methylation and ubiquitination, and RNA m6A methylation, and their impacts on cancer cell resistance to therapeutics

Email: suyun.huang@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Joseph W. Landry, Ph.D.

Joseph W. Landry, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Joseph W. Landry, Ph.D.

Joseph W. Landry, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Research interests: Chromatic remodeling complexes and histone modifying enzymes in the structural regulation of chromatin and ultimately gene expression; identification of small molecule therapeutics for inhibiting metastasis and immune system avoidance by tumor cells

Email: joseph.landry@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Dana Lapato, Ph.D.

Dana Lapato, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Dana Lapato, Ph.D.

Dana Lapato, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Research interests: Contribution of epigenetic mechanisms to complex trait etiology, risk liability and pathophysiology; open science and reproducible methodology; developmental trajectories of child and adolescent psychopathology; multi-omic data integration

Email: dana.lapato@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Zheng Liu, Ph.D.

Zheng Liu, Ph.D.

Instructor

Zheng Liu, Ph.D.

Zheng Liu, Ph.D.

Instructor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Research interests: Pattern recognition scavenger receptors and the immune modulating roles in liver injury; Development of novel immunotherapies for solid tumors and metastases

Email: zheng.liu@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Hermine H. Maes, Ph.D.

Hermine H. Maes, Ph.D.

Professor

Hermine H. Maes, Ph.D.

Hermine H. Maes, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Research interests: Genetic Epidemiology Methodology; Relationships between Mental and Physical Health; Health Risk Factors: Obesity & Smoking; Substance Use & Abuse

Email: hermine.maes@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D

Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D

Professor

Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D

Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D

Professor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Research interests: Key molecules regulating development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the development of therapeutic strategies to treat HCC

Email: devanand.sarkar@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Rita Shiang, Ph.D.

Rita Shiang, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Rita Shiang, Ph.D.

Rita Shiang, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Graduate Program Director and Chair of Admissions

Research interests: Studying the genes that cause craniosynostosis in humans and zebrafish

Email: rita.shiang@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Mark Subler, Ph.D.

Mark Subler, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Mark Subler, Ph.D.

Mark Subler, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Research interests: Mammary tumorigenesis in mouse models

Email: mark.subler@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Wei Wang

Wei Wang

Instructor

Wei Wang

Wei Wang

Instructor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms underlying steatotic liver disease, liver injury, and liver cancer; lipid metabolism and its impact on immune processes within the tumor microenvironment.

Email: Wei.Wang1@vcuhealth.org

Publications

Xiang-Yang (Shawn) Wang, Ph.D.

Xiang-Yang (Shawn) Wang, Ph.D.

Professor

Xiang-Yang (Shawn) Wang, Ph.D.

Xiang-Yang (Shawn) Wang, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Research interests: Stress responses/proteins and pattern recognition scavenger receptors, particularly their roles in immune modulation and host response, along with the development of novel immune-based cancer therapies

Email: xiang-yang.wang@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Jolene Windle, Ph.D.

Jolene Windle, Ph.D.

Professor and Eminent Scholar

Jolene Windle, Ph.D.

Jolene Windle, Ph.D.

Professor and Eminent Scholar

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Eminent Scholar and Director of the Massey Cancer Center Transgenic Mouse Core

Research interests: Role of oncogenes in mouse mammary tumorigenesis and the development of new transgenic mouse technologies

Email: jolene.windle@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Timothy York, Ph.D.

Timothy York, Ph.D.

Professor

Timothy York, Ph.D.

Timothy York, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Assistant Director of Graduate Education

Research interests: Identification of genetic and environmental risk factors in complex disease and the use of biomarkers to elucidate disease subtypes

Email: timothy.york@vcuhealth.org

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Publications

Affiliate and Emeritus Faculty

Ananda B. Amstadter, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Research interests: Post-traumatic stress disorder, genetics, trauma and stress-related drinking

Jill Bettinger, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research interests: Synaptic transmission and behavior related to the physiological effects of alcohol in C. elegans

Tahnee N. Causey, M.S., CGC
Department of Pediatrics

Charles V. Clevenger, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Pathology
Research interests: Prolactin and human breast cancer

Heather Creswick, M.S., LCGC
Department of Pediatrics

Andrew Davies, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research interests: Molecular targets of drugs of abuse, in particular alcohol, in the C. elegans nervous system

Amanda J.G. Dickinson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Biology
Research interests: Developmental biology and orofacial development in zebrafish and frogs

Kelley Dodson, M.D.
Professor, Department of Otolaryngology
Research interests: Pediatric genetic hearing loss, otology and pediatric otolaryngology

Gordon D. Ginder, M.D.
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Research interests: Transcriptional regulation of globin genes during erythroid differentiation and interferon regulation of class I gene expression in human tumors

Steven Grant, M.D.
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Research interests: Modulation of apoptosis to treat leukemia, myeloma and lymphoma

Colleen Jackson-Cook, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pathology
Research interests: Cancer-related chromosomal aberrations in prostate cancer and the cause(s) of constitutional and acquired aneuploidy in humans

Nicholas E. Johnson, M.D.
Professor, Department of Neurology
Research interests: Translational program to understand the RNA splicing changes associated with myotonic dystrophy, genetic modifiers associated with the muscular dystrophies, and therapeutic development in the muscular dystrophies

Alaattin Kaya, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology
Research interests: Biology of aging, genes and environmental factors that strongly interact to modulate observed aging patterns among different organisms

Kenneth S. Kendler, M.D.
Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Research interests: Genetics of schizophrenia, depression and anxiety; the interrelationship between psychiatric disorders and substance abuse

Jennifer Koblinski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pathology
Research interests: Molecular basis of breast cancer metastasis to the brain

Larisa Litovchick, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Research interests: Mechanisms of tumor suppression, DREAM complex, retinoblastoma family, cell cycle, quiescence, DNA repair, ovarian cancer

Joyce A. Lloyd, Ph.D. 
Professor Emeritus, Department of Human & Molecular Genetics
Research interests: Developmental regulation of the globin genes in erythroid cells and in the genes controlling erythroid development

Michael F. Miles, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research interests: Functional genomics of substance use disorders and the development of comorbid psychopathology

Michael C. Neale, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Research interests: Behavioral genetics including schizophrenia and alcohol dependence, the epidemiology of mood, anxiety and alcohol disorders, cognition and aging

Elizabeth C. Prom-Wormley, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health
Research interests: Genetic epidemiology of cigarette and e-cigarette use, smoking cessation, genetic epidemiology of alcohol use and reduction and public health genomics

John Quillin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics Research interests: Cancer prevention and screening behaviors, disparities in cancer care, familial cancer risk and risk perceptions

Senthil Radhakrishnan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pathology Research interests: Protein degradation pathways in cancer and neurodegeneration

Brien P. Riley, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Research interests: Molecular genetics of schizophrenia, depression, autism and alcohol dependence

 

Administrative staff

Jodi Humpage
Operations Administrator
jodi.humpage@vcuhealth.org
804-828-0104

Matthew Daniel
Fiscal Tech
matthew.daniel@vcuhealth.org
804-827-2132

Linda Downes-Piazza
Executive Assistant
linda.downes-piazza@vcuhealth.org
804-628-3506

C. Suzanne Finley
HR and Graduate Program Coordinator
catherine.finley@vcuhealth.org
804-628-3265

Christopher Redford
Fiscal Manager
christopher.redford@vcuhealth.org

Research Staff

Gaurav Bilolikar
Lab and Research Technician, Gogna Lab
(804) 628-3337
gaurav.bilolikar@vcuhealth.org

Jinyang Cai
Research Scientist, Wang Lab 
(804) 628-3358 
Jinyang.Cai@vcuhealth.org 

Devon Farrar
Lab and Research Technician, Fisher Lab
(804) 628-3337
devon.farrar@vcuhealth.org

Michael Healy
Lab and Research Technician, Landry Lab
(804) 628-3287
michael.healy@vcuhealth.org

Sambhav Khurana
Research Associate, Gogna Lab
(804) 628-3337
Sambhav.Khurana@vcuhealth.org

Padmanabhan Mannangatti, Ph.D.
Lab and Research Manager, Fisher Lab
(804) 628-3337
padmanabhan.mannangatti@vcuhealth.org

Rachel Gredler Mendoza
Lab and Research Manager, Sarkar Lab
(804) 827-2358
rachel.mendoza@vcuhealth.org

Antonio Palma
Lab and Research Technician, Gogna Lab 
(804) 628-3337 
Antonio.Palma@vcuhealth.org 

Jinkal Shah
Research Scientist, Fisher Lab
(804) 628-3337 
Jinkal.Shah@vcuhealth.org 

Brandon Shell
Lab Manager, Grotewiel Lab
(804) 628-3287
brandon.shell@vcuhealth.org

Satya Shree
Research Assistant, Gogna Lab
(804) 628-3337 
KumariSatya.Shree@vcuhealth.org

Postdoctoral Trainees and Fellows

  • Nguyen An
    Mentor: Xiang-Yang (Shawn) Wang, Ph.D.
  • Ali Gawi Ermi
    Mentor: Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D.
  • Amit Kumar, Ph.D.
    Mentor: Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., FNAI
  • Li Li, Ph.D.
    Mentor: Suyun Huang, M.D., Ph.D.
  • Santanu Maji, Ph.D.
    Mentor: Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., FNAI
  • Lauren May, Ph.D.
    Mentor: Joseph Landry, Ph.D.
  • Suchismita Raha
    Mentor: Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D.
  • Shijun Yu, Ph.D.
    Mentor: Suyun Huang, M.D., Ph.D.