Research in the Functional Cellular Networks Section focuses on understanding the changes that occur in the cell proteome in response to exogenous factors such as pathogen-derived molecules, cytokines, and chemokines, which alter the differentiation state of cells in the immune system or whose production characterizes specific disease states. We are especially interested in large-scale absolute quantitative measurements of immune cell signaling cascade components and in the characterization of post-translational modification (PTM) dynamics on a global scale. We use the resulting large datasets to create predictive models of molecular interactions using the Simmune software generated by the Computational Biology Section. The predictions of these models will in turn be employed to elucidate biological responses to stimuli at multiple scales of biological organization, including the cell, tissue, and, eventually, whole organism.
We employ mass-spectrometry-based technology together with other proteomic and biochemical methods using state-of-the art equipment and technologies available in our laboratory and at NIH.

Functional Cellular Networks Section, October 2023. First row, from left: Doeun Kim, Aleksandra Nita-Lazar, Jiraphorn Issara-Amphorn, Vanya Bhushan. Second row, from left: SungHwan Yoon, Nathan Manes, Jacob Pederson, Joseph Gillen, Matthew Marino, Hyojung Kim (guest researcher from Dr. Anirban Benerjee's lab, NICHD).
Aleksandra Nita-Lazar, Ph. D. (She/Her/Hers)
Chief, Functional Cellular Networks Section
Senior Investigator
Education: Ph.D., 2003, University of Basel

Joseph G. Gillen, Ph.D. (He/Him/His)
Research Fellow
Education:
Ph.D., 2015, Florida State University
B.S., 2004, York College of Pennsylvania

Jiraphorn Issara-Amphorn, Ph.D. (She/Her/Hers)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Languages Spoken: Thai

Nathan Paul Manes, Ph.D. (He/Him/His)
Staff Scientist

Matthew James Marino, B.S. (He/Him/His)
Education:
B.S., Biomolecular Sciences

Sung Hwan Yoon, Ph.D. (He/Him/His)
Senior Associate Scientist
Education:
Ph.D., University of Arizona
B.S., Seoul National University
Languages Spoken: Korean

Vanya Bhushan, Ph.D. (She/Her/Hers)
Exchange Visitor / Postdoctoral Fellow
Education:
Ph.D.
Languages Spoken: Hindi

Doeun Kim, Ph.D. (She/Her/Hers)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Education:
Ph.D. Kyungpook National University
M.S. University of Science and Technology (UST)
B.S. Yeungnam University
Languages Spoken: Korean

Jacob W. Pederson, B.S. (He/Him/His)
Predoctoral IRTA Fellow
Education:
B.S. and M.S. Microbiology (Oregon State University)

Former Research Group Members
Virginie Sjoelund, Ph. D. Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow. Currently Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology and Core Director, Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
Eunkyung An, Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow. Currently Program Manager in the Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research (OCCPR) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH.
Marijke Koppenol-Raab, Postdoctoral IRTA Fellow. Currently Pharmaceutical Scientist, FDA.
Jessica Calzola, Postdoctoral IRTA Fellow. Currently iCURE Program Director, Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities, NCI, NIH.
Casey Daniels, Postdoctoral IRTA Fellow. Currently Senior Scientist at AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
Mohd M. Khan, Graduate Student (Graduate Partnership Program with the University of Maryland). Currently Manager (Cell & Gene Therapies Commercialization) at Deloitte Consulting US.
Thunnicha Ondee, Graduate Student (Graduate Partnership Program with Chulalongkorn University, Thailand). Currently Postdoctoral Fellow at Chulalongkorn University.
Sebastian Montalvo, Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow. Currently Business Strategy Senior Consultant Business Strategy Senior Consultant at Deloitte Consulting US.
Pauline Kaplan, Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow. Currently Medical Student, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, and Second Lieutenant, US Army.
Noah Kelner, Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow. Currently Graduate Student at the University of Rochester.
Caleb Bridgwater, Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow. Currently Graduate Student at Georgetown University.
Matthew Scandura, Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow. Currently Research Technician at Northern Arizona University.
Arthur Nuccio, Research Technician. Currently Scientist at Novartis.
Trisha Tucholski, Ph. D. currently Scientific Officer at the National Academies
Deepali Rathore, Ph. D. currently at Bruker