Su Research Group

To carry out the Human Immunological Diseases Section (HIDS) research, our team of dedicated scientific and clinical staff studies patients using our combined expertise in genetics/genomics, immunology, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, and virology.

Helen C. Su, M.D., Ph.D.

Chief, Human Immunological Diseases Section
Director, NIAID Clinical Genomics Program

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

Education:

M.D., Ph.D., Brown University

Helen Su received M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Brown University. She completed training in pediatrics at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Washington University, and subspecialty training in allergy and immunology at NIAID. After postdoctoral training with Michael Lenardo, M.D., in the Laboratory of Immunology, she joined the Laboratory of Host Defenses in 2007 as a tenure-track clinical investigator and was tenured in 2016. She has received the Society for Pediatric Research E. Mead Johnson Award and the Gale and Ira Drukier Prize in Children’s Health Research. She was elected a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians.

Learn more about Helen C. Su, M.D., Ph.D.

photo of Helen Su, M.D., Ph.D.

Margaret A. Abaandou, R.N., B.S.N., M.P.H.

Clinical Research Nurse/Study Coordinator

Education:

M.P.H., Public Health, University of Bedfordshire, UK
B.Sc., Nursing, University of Northampton, UK

Margaret Abaandou is a senior research nurse experienced in clinical research, public policy, and patient care. She is the study coordinator for two HIDS research protocols and organizes the HIDS efforts to study patients at the NIH Clinical Center.

Learn more about Margaret A. Abaandou, R.N., B.S.N., M.P.H.

Kaja Arusha, B.A.

Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow

Education:

B.A., Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA

Kaja Arusha is a first-year postbaccalaureate IRTA fellow who is working on a joint project in HIDS and was formerly in the Molecular Development of the Immune System Section at NIAID. She hopes to broaden her research experiences in the biological sciences before matriculating into graduate school.

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Imad Isehak, B.S.

Laboratory Technician

Education:

B.S., Biochemistry, Minnesota State University

Imad Isehak is an experienced laboratory technician who has previously worked in academic and clinical settings. He is interested in biomedical research and provides broad support to all aspects of the HIDS research program.

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Huie Jing, Ph.D.

Staff Scientist

Education:

Ph.D., Immunology and Molecular Biology, Rutgers University

M.S., Genetics, West China University of Medical Sciences

B.S., Biology, Sichuan University

Huie Jing is an experimentalist with deep expertise in molecular and cellular biology, genetics, virology, and human immunology. She works on diverse projects focusing on mechanisms, more recently in the areas of virus sensing and G-protein physiology/signaling. She is also highly committed to teaching post-baccalaureate and other trainees in HIDS.

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Başak Kayaoğlu, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow

Education:

Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Sc., Biology, Middle East Technical University, Turkey

Başak Kayaoğlu is a postdoctoral researcher experienced in human clinical immunology. She obtained her Ph.D. under the mentorship of Mayda Gürsel, focusing on understanding the pathogenesis of DOCK8 deficiency and STAT1 gain-of-function diseases. Within HIDS, she has several projects investigating the mechanistic basis of novel monogenic disorders related to adaptive immunity, including B cells.

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Wesley Tung, B.S.

Predoctoral IRTA Fellow

Education:

B.S., Molecular and Cellular Biology, 2019, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL

Wesley Tung, a former postbaccalaureate IRTA in the lab, is now in the Yale Medical School MSTP/NIH-OxCAM graduate program. After completing two years of medical school, he returned to HIDS, where he is now a second-year graduate student working on his graduate Ph.D. thesis research under the joint mentorship of Helen Su, Jelena Bezbradica, and Akiko Iwasaki. His research projects are related to SARS-CoV-2 and regulation of infection-related inflammation.

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Chen Xiang, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Education:

Ph.D., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

B.S., Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, China

Languages Spoken: Chinese

Chen Xiang is a postdoctoral fellow who was formerly in the Molecular Development of the Immune System Section at NIAID. His research efforts are directed toward investigating and comprehending the underlying pathological mechanisms of atherosclerosis attributed to either gene mutations or autoimmune diseases.

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Photo of Chen Xiang, Ph.D.

Yu Zhang, Ph.D.

Staff Scientist

Education:

Ph.D., Genomics & Molecular Biology, 2004, National Center for Gene Research & Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences

B.Sc., Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University

Yu Zhang is a genomics scientist with expertise in analyses of rare monogenic disorders and (less rare) genetic variants in human diseases. Using computational methods, she identifies lead candidate genetic variants that potentially explain undiagnosed inborn errors of immunity. She also coordinates and leads the HIDS efforts to identify genetic susceptibility to life-threatening influenza virus...

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Former Research Group Members

Anne Roman, B.S. (Postbaccalaureate IRTA)

Eesha Chattopadhay, B.S. (Postbaccalaureate IRTA)

Elana R. Shaw, B.S. (Postbaccalaureate IRTA)

Kazuyuki Meguro, M.D., Ph.D. (Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow)

Hyoungjun Ham, Ph.D. (Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow)

Megan Kober, B.S. (recent Postbaccalaureate IRTA)

Michael A. Leney-Greene, Ph.D. (Predoctoral Visiting Fellow)

Ian T. Lamborn, M.D., Ph.D. (Predoctoral IRTA)

Corinne Happel, M.D. (Clinical Fellow)

Qian Zhang, Ph.D. (Postdoctoral Research Fellow)

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