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.
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
Jonathan Lyons, M.D.
Lasker Scholar;
Chief, Translational Allergic Immunopathology Unit
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...
Judy Bandoh, B.S., M.S.
Clinical Research Study Coordinator
Education:
M.S., Biotechnology
B.S., General Sciences
Languages Spoken: Twi
Samantha E. Fairlie, B.S.
Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellow
Education:
B.S., 2021, University of Pittsburgh
Megan Rose Fisher, Ph.D.
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Education:
Ph.D., Immunology
Alyssa E. James, M.D.
Clinical Fellow
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
Julia Johnston, B.S.
Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellow
Education:
B.S., Brown University
Sheryce N. Lassiter, M.S.N, C.R.N.P.
Family Nurse Practitioner
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...
Yihui Liu, Ph.D.
Biologist
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...
Celeste Gerise Nelson M.S., C.R.N.P.
Advanced Practice Nurse (C.R.N.P.)
Michael P. O'Connell, Ph.D.
Staff Clinician/Scientist, Translational Allergic Immunopathology Unit
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...
Rebeca E. Rivera-Dompenciel, B.S.
Post-Baccalaureate Fellow
Education:
B.S., Molecular Biology
Languages Spoken: Spanish
Maribel Vazquez Silva, B.S., M.S.
Biologist/Lab Manager
Education:
M.S., Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida
B.S., Natural Science, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey
Languages Spoken: Spanish
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