Center Trainees and Researchers

I am a postdoctoral research associate at Rosalind Franklin University, focusing on genomic instability in cancer under Dr. Weihang Chai’s mentorship. My research aims to understand the mechanisms of cancer initiation and progression caused by replication stress, with the goal of developing advanced diagnostic tools and targeted therapies. During my PhD at Amity University, I identified miRNA signatures in pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia and studied mitochondrial heterogeneity's role in cancer progression.  My future goal is to become an independent researcher, establishing novel pathways involved in cancer development to create innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Outside of research, I enjoy traveling, exploring new places, and playing chess.

Sara completed a two year degree as a certified Biological Technical Assistant in Germany. Her first position was in the cell culture lab of B.R.A.I.N. a white biotech company developing novel research solutions for the food and chemical industry. After moving to the United States to marry her husband she began work at Loyola University in the lab of Dr. Herbert Mathews as a lab technician, researching the effects of stress on epigenetics in breast cancer patients as well as working with the VA to investigate the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on cytokine levels. She then started working for Dr. Chai's lab at Loyola as a research specialist, performing experiments and animal work as well as publishing a technical paper on how to determine the effects of STN1 knockout on oxidative stress in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. After helping Dr. Chai organize moving the lab Sara followed her to Rosalind Franklin as a lab manager.

In her free time Sara enjoys books, board- and video-games, RPGs, Magic: the Gathering and her cats.

Dr. Laghari, born in Pakistan, completed his bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine (DVM) at Sindh Agriculture University in Pakistan in 2011. In 2018, he successfully achieved his PhD in Immunology from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. Following that, he joined Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam in Pakistan as an Assistant Professor, where he is involved in teaching and research activities with undergraduate and graduate students.

Dr. Laghari joined Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in March 2024 as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the research group of Dr. Weihang Chai at the Center for Genetic Diseases where his research primarily focuses to uncover the mechanisms involved in replication fork stalling and the fork protection complex.

During free time, Dr. Laghari likes to read, loves travelling, enjoy cooking and watching movies.

I have completed a PhD in biotechnology specializing in cancer biology from the Institute of Life Sciences, Odisha, India. I am exuberant about the prospect of unveiling new insights into the intricate relationships between DNA replication, genomic stability, and cancer development, ultimately driving progress in our understanding of genetic processes leading to improved diagnosis, therapy, and patient outcomes.

I was born and raised in a charming small town in Bangladesh. After completing my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Pharmacy at Rajshahi University, I embarked on a journey in the pharmaceutical industry, gaining three years of invaluable experience in quality assurance and validation.

My academic quest took me to Japan, where I pursued my PhD on Pharmaceutical sciences at Tokushima University, Japan. There, I uncovered the anticancer potential of Vitamin E Succinate (VES). My research revealed how VES orchestrates a crucial link between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria in cancer cells, causing a lethal influx of calcium that devastates the mitochondria and leads to cancer cell death. This groundbreaking model is reshaping the landscape of anticancer drug discovery, offering new hope in the fight against cancer.

Eager to delve deeper into the mechanisms of carcinogenesis and advance my skills in molecular biology, I joined the dynamic team of Professor Valerie Chai, renowned for their exciting work on calcium signaling and replication stress.

Outside the lab, I thrive on the thrill of exploring new places, spend time with family and immersing myself in diverse cultures. Cricket is my passion; I relish the strategy and excitement of the game. When I'm not traveling or playing cricket, I enjoy unwinding by watching movies and getting lost in captivating stories. Feel free to contact me, I am just one message away.

Born and raised in Kolkata, India, I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and a Master’s degree in Biochemistry. Fueled by my curiosity about cellular systems (and a love for American burgers), I made my way to the United States to pursue a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. During my PhD, I studied how cells respond to external mechanical cues and utilized this understanding to engineer fate differentiation in mouse pluripotent stem cells. I also tackled the curious case of how cellular stiffness affects immune responses to dsRNA viruses—because why not?

Currently, I seek to leverage my knowledge and expertise in stem cells to study their role in cancers. My goal is to understand the molecular mechanisms of cancer progression in the context of genomic instability and to pave the way for the development of more effective therapies by elucidating these fundamental processes. When I’m not in the lab, I love traveling and immersing myself in art and literature, which helps me keep life as exciting as a cell under a microscope.

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2) is a serine/threonine kinase that couples a variety of external stimuli to intracellular pathways involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, survival, replication, and transcription, etc. Currently, I am interested in defining the roles of CaMKK2 in DNA stability during cellular stress. The downstream new targets of CaMKK2 are under investigation. Previously, I worked on the GPCR signaling, protein recycle, cancer gene therapy and mitochondria respiration.