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
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. (He/Him/His)
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
Judy Bandoh, B.S., M.S. (She/Her/Hers)
Clinical Research Study Coordinator
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!
Samantha E. Fairlie, B.S. (She/Her/Hers)
Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellow
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).
Megan Rose Fisher, Ph.D. (She/Her/Hers)
Post-Doctoral Fellow
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.
Alyssa E. James, M.D. (She/Her/Hers)
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
Alyssa is a clinical fellow in Allergy and Clinical Immunology in NIAID who has a keen interest in immunogenetics and primary atopic disorders.
Julia Johnston, B.S. (She/Her/Hers)
Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellow
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.
Sheryce N. Lassiter, M.S.N, C.R.N.P. (She/Her/Hers)
Family Nurse Practitioner
Education:
M.S., Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner
Yihui Liu, Ph.D. (He/Him/His)
Biologist
Education:
Ph.D., Biochemistry
Languages Spoken: Chinese
Celeste Gerise Nelson M.S., C.R.N.P. (She/Her/Hers)
Advanced Practice Nurse (CRNP)
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.
Michael P. O'Connell, Ph.D. (He/Him/His)
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
Rebeca E. Rivera-Dompenciel, B.S. (She/Her/Hers)
Post-Baccalaureate Fellow
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.
Maribel Vazquez Silva, B.S., M.S. (She/Her/Hers)
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
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).
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