Laboratory of Allergic Diseases

Lyons Research Group

The prevalence of severe allergic disease is on the rise globally; consequently, severe systemic allergic inflammation and reactions are also becoming far more frequent, representing a major public health burden causing morbidity for patients, distress for families, and substantial costs for the healthcare system. We seek to develop methods and strategies to identify individuals with, or at high risk of, developing severe allergic inflammation and anaphylaxis in order to identify specific pathways leading to these phenotypes and enable the development of new therapies that can successfully limit and/or prevent these potentially devastating consequences.

Jonathan Lyons Lab

Back row, L to R: Nina Jones, R.N., B.S.N., Case Manager; Young Hwan Park, Ph.D., Visiting Fellow; Peter Balogh, B.S., Post-Baccalaureate Fellow; Yihui Liu, Ph.D., Biologist
Front row, L to R: Sheryce Lassiter, M.S.N., C.R.N.P., Nurse Practitioner; Celeste Nelson, C.R.N.P., Nurse Practitioner; Jiwon Kim, B.S., Post-Baccalaureate Fellow; Megan Fisher, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral IRTA Fellow; Jonathan Lyons, M.D., Chief, Translational Allergic Immunopathology Unit; Michael O’Connell, Ph.D., Staff Scientist; Thomas DiMaggio, A.D.N., Nurse Study Coordinator

Credit: NIAID

Jonathan Lyons, M.D. (He/Him/His)

Lasker Scholar;
Chief, Translational Allergic Immunopathology Unit

Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Specialty(s): Allergy and Immunology, Internal Medicine
Provides direct clinical care to patients at NIH Clinical Center

Education:

M.D., 2007, University of Southern California

B.A., 2003, Pomona College

Dr. Lyons received his undergraduate education at Pomona College and Jesus College, Cambridge, UK, where he spent two terms. He graduated with a B.A. in Chemistry from Pomona College in 2003 and earned a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Southern California in 2007. Dr. Lyons completed residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of California, San Diego, in 2010, and served...

Learn more about Jonathan Lyons, M.D.

Jonathan Lyons, M.D.

Judy Bandoh, B.S., M.S. (She/Her/Hers)

Clinical Research Study Coordinator

Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Education:

M.S., Biotechnology

B.S., General Sciences

Languages Spoken: Twi

Judy is the Study Coordinator working with Dr. Jonathan Lyons on 2 protocols: Natural History of Severe Allergic Inflammation and Reactions, and Screening Protocol for Genetic Diseases of Allergic Inflammation. Her research interests include genetic diseases and allergic inflammation, and all things skin!

Learn more about Judy Bandoh, B.S., M.S.

Samantha E. Fairlie, B.S. (She/Her/Hers)

Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellow 

Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Education:

B.S., 2021, University of Pittsburgh

Samantha’s current project is focused on the role of partial gain-of-function CACNA1H variants in mast cell activation and how they may contribute to pain phenotypes in patients with and without Hereditary alpha-tryptasemia (HaT).

Learn more about Samantha E. Fairlie, B.S.

Portrait of Samantha E Fairlie, B.S.

Megan Rose Fisher, Ph.D. (She/Her/Hers)

Post-Doctoral Fellow

Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Education:

Ph.D., Immunology

Megan is studying the effects of TCR signal strength on glycosylation following T cell activation, and how this relates to PGM3 deficiency - a glycosylation disorder first described by this lab and a team of NIAID investigators - that leads to severe allergic inflammation and hypersensitivity.

Learn more about Megan Rose Fisher, Ph.D.

Alyssa E. James, M.D. (She/Her/Hers)

Clinical Fellow

Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Education:

Pediatric Residency-Children’s National Medical Center

M.D., FIU, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

M.A., Medical Sciences, Boston University

B.S., Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh

Alyssa is a clinical fellow in Allergy and Clinical Immunology in NIAID who has a keen interest in immunogenetics and primary atopic disorders.

Learn more about Alyssa E. James, M.D.

Portrait of Alyssa E. James, M.D.

Julia Johnston, B.S. (She/Her/Hers)

Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellow

Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Education:

B.S., Brown University

Julia is a postbaccalaureate research fellow studying tryptase genetics and its effect on allergic phenotypes. Her current focus is on the sequencing and characterization of a novel tryptase isoform we have identified at TPSB2.

Learn more about Julia Johnston, B.S.

Portrait of Julia Johnston, B.S.

Sheryce N. Lassiter, M.S.N, C.R.N.P. (She/Her/Hers)

Family Nurse Practitioner

Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Education:

M.S., Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner

Sheryce Lassiter, MSN, CRNP is a Family Nurse Practitioner supporting the Translational Allergic Immunopathology Unit under NIAID and the Laboratory of Allergic Diseases. Sheryce works on natural history and send-in protocols to study severe allergic inflammation and reactions in patients with acquired and inherited genetic disorders leading to these phenotypes. Sheryce utilizes her background in...

Learn more about Sheryce N. Lassiter, M.S.N, C.R.N.P.

Portrait of Sheryce N. Lassiter, M.S.N, C.R.N.P.

Yihui Liu, Ph.D. (He/Him/His)

Biologist

Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Education:

Ph.D., Biochemistry

Languages Spoken: Chinese

Yihui is a biologist in the Translational Allergic Immunopathology Unit, Laboratory of Allergic Diseases, NIAID/NIH and has been with this group since its inception. His undergraduate studies and degree in chemistry were completed at Liaoning University and his master’s degree and Ph.D. in biochemistry at Dalian Medical University. As an expert in biochemistry and molecular biology, Yihui provides...

Learn more about Yihui Liu, Ph.D.

Portrait of Yihui Liu, Ph.D.

Celeste Gerise Nelson M.S., C.R.N.P. (She/Her/Hers)

Advanced Practice Nurse (CRNP)

Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Celeste is a family nurse practitioner with the Laboratory of Allergic Diseases since 2008 working on multiple protocols for allergic disorders including urticaria, atopic dermatitis, capillary leak and genetic disorders of allergic inflammation.

Learn more about Celeste Gerise Nelson M.S., C.R.N.P.

Portrait of Celeste Gerise Nelson M.S., C.R.N.P.

Michael P. O'Connell, Ph.D. (He/Him/His)

Staff Clinician/Scientist, Translational Allergic Immunopathology Unit

Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Education:

Ph.D., Cell and Molecular Biology (Developmental Origins of Health and Disease), 2006
M.Sc., Biochemical Pharmacology, 2003
B.Sc., Sport and Health Sciences, minor in Psychology, 2001

Dr. O'Connell received his Ph.D. in development origins of health and disease (cell and molecular biology) from the University of Southampton School of Medicine in the United Kingdom, in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania. He obtained postdoctoral training in the areas of Wnt5a-mediated progression of metastatic melanoma at the National Institute on Aging from 2006 to 2011. Prior to...

Learn more about Michael P. O'Connell, Ph.D.

Michael O'Connell, Ph.D.

Rebeca E. Rivera-Dompenciel, B.S. (She/Her/Hers)

Post-Baccalaureate Fellow

Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Education:

B.S., Molecular Biology

Languages Spoken: Spanish

Rebeca’s is currently investigating the impact of JAK Inhibitors on mast cell activation. Her research interests include the various mechanisms that contribute to allergic hypersensitivity.

Learn more about Rebeca E. Rivera-Dompenciel, B.S.

Portrait of Rebeca E. Rivera-Dompenciel, B.S.

Maribel Vazquez Silva, B.S., M.S. (She/Her/Hers)

Biologist/Lab Manager

Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Education:

M.S., Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida

B.S., Natural Science, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey

Languages Spoken: Spanish

Maribel plays a multi-faceted role within the TAIU, where she supports day-to-day operations, and also leads the efforts on clinical studies examining the association between HaT and associated phenotypes including connective tissue abnormalities and other allergic inflammatory disorders such as eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).

Learn more about Maribel Vazquez Silva, B.S., M.S.

Portrait of Maribel Vazquez Silva, B.S., M.S.

Former Research Group Members

2013-2015, Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA), Kendall (Karpe) Haddad, B.S., D.M.M., School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, M.M.Sc., Harvard School of Dental Medicine

2014, Summer Student, Shermaine Hutchins, B.S., M.P.H., Yale University School of Public Health, Wyandot County Public Health, Ohio

2014-2016, Postbaccalaureate IRTA, Ryan Carlson, B.S., M.D., Ph.D., University of Washington School of Medicine

2016-2018, Postbaccalaureate IRTA, Jack Chovanec, B.S., M.D., University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health

2018-2020, Postbaccalaureate IRTA, Jiwon Kim, B.S., M.S., M.S., Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin

2019, Postbaccalaureate IRTA, Peter Balough, B.S., RA Capital Management

2019-2021, Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow, Young Hwan Park, Ph.D., Andong National University, Korea

Content last reviewed on