Resident Faculty

Davide Comoletti, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience and Cell Biology

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Child Health Institute of New Jersey
89 French Street, 3rd floor, Room 3275
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732.235.9466  Fax: 732.235.8612
Email:  comoleda@umdnj.edu

Comoletti Laboratory:

http://rwjms1.umdnj.edu/comoletti_lab/

The Comoletti laboratory studies the structural and molecular basis of synapse formation and connectivity. We focus on the atomic structure and cellular functions of trans-synaptic adhesion molecules such as neuroligins, neurexins, LRRTMs, and their complexes. We use structural biology and molecular neuroscience tools to gain insights into how mutations of these proteins associate with autism and other common neurodevelopmental disorders.

Lisa K. Denzin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Child Health Institute of New Jersey
89 French Street,4th floor, Room 4272
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732.235.9604 Fax: 732.235.9333
Email: denzinlk@umdnj.edu

The Denzin laboratory studies antigen presentation and regulation of the immune response.  Her studies have shown the roles of variant MHC molecules in the regulation of autoimmune disorders including type 1 diabetes.  Her laboratory also studies the role of novel cell cycle regulatory proteins in leukemias.

Sevgi Gurkan, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Department of Pediatrics
89 French Street, 3rd floor, Laboratory 3227G/H
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Email: gurkanse@umdnj.edu

The Gurkan laboratory studies nephrotic syndrome, the most common glomerular disorder of childhood and the second leading cause of end-stage renal disease among children.  Her laboratory is focused on the role of immune triggers in the pathogenesis of podocyte injury.

Amale Laouar, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Surgery

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Child Health Institute of New Jersey
89 French Street, 4th floor, Room 4276
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732.235.6014 Fax: 732.235.7073
Email:  laouaram@umdnj.edu

The Laouar laboratory studies the regulation of gut immunity and the roles of a novel antigen-presenting in the critical process of discrimination between pathogenic and non-pathogenic stimuli. She is also studying the interactions of the gut microbiome with the gut immune system. Her studies have implications for the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal disorders of childhood and aging, including enteric infections, food allergies, inflammatory bowel disease and cancers.

Chi-Wei Lu, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Child Health Institute of New Jersey
89 French Street, 3rd floor, Room 3276
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732.235.2870   Fax: 732.235.8612
Email:  luch@umdnj.edu

The Lu laboratory studies stem cell regulation and function and is focused particularly on placental stem cells that determine the growth, differentiation and sufficiency of placental and therefore fetal development.  Her laboratory also studies genes and regulatory pathways that play a role in the development of pediatric malignancies.

Zhiping Pang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience and Cell Biology

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Child Health Institute of New Jersey
89 French Street, 3rd floor, Room 3277
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732.235.8074  Fax: 732.235.8612
Email: pangzh@umdnj.edu

Visit Pang Lab!

Dr. Pang’s laboratory studies the neural basis of the regulation of feeding, satiety, metabolism and obesity.  His studies may provide insights into the neural causes and consequences of childhood obesity.  He has also developed novel techniques for deriving neuronal cells from primary skin cells providing novel opportunities to study the pathogenesis of neurological disorders, including pediatric developmental disorders and autism.

Arnold B. Rabson M.D.
Director of Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Laura Gallagher Endowed Chair of Developmental Biology and Professor of Pediatrics; Pharmacology; and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Child Health Institute of New Jersey
89 French Street, 3rd floor, Room 3211
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732.235.9523  Fax: 732.235.8612
Email: rabsonab@umdnj.edu

The Rabson laboratory studies the pathogenesis of human retroviral infections including the human T cell leukemia virus type 1-an important cause of T cell leukemias and inflammatory diseases and the human immunodeficiency virus.  He  also studies the roles of the NF-kB transcription regulators in the genetic basis of normal and malignant T cells, and the molecular basis of hematopoiesis and childhood leukemias.

Derek B. Sant'Angelo, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Child Health Institute of New Jersey
89 French Street, 4th floor, Room 4273
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732.235.9394 Fax: 732.235.9333
Email: santandb@umdnj.edu

The Sant'Angelo laboratory studies the regulation of NKT cells and the roles that they play in normal and pathogenic immune responses. His laboratory uses transgenic and knockout mouse models to characterize the functions of the PLZF family of transcription factors in NKT and other immune cells. His studies address fundamental issues in the pathogenesis of numerous pediatric diseases including asthma, autoimmune diseases, juvenile diabetes and cancers.

Yufang Shi, D.V.M., Ph.D.
University Professor of Pharmacology

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Child Health Institute of New Jersey
89 French Street, 4th floor, Room 4271
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732.235.4501 Fax: 732.235.9333
Email: shiyu@umdnj.edu

The Shi laboratory studies the mechanisms and roles of cell death pathways in the regulation of the immune response.  His work probes the roles of apoptosis in the development of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases including asthma.  His laboratory also studies the roles of mesenchymal stem cells in the regulation of the immune response and is investigating the therapeutic potential of these cells for the treatment of inflammatory diseases of childhood.

Core Facility:

Mantu Bhaumik, Ph.D.
Director, Transgenic and Knockout Mouse Shared Resource, CINJ, CHINJ, and RWJMS, and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Child Health Institute of New Jersey
89 French Street, 4th Floor, Room 4270
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732.235.5978  Fax: 732.235.6681
Email: bhaumima@umdnj.edu

Dr. Bhaumik directs a successful, technologically advanced core facility providing expertise in the generation and analysis of genetically-engineered mouse models of human disease.  This core facility is providing services to CINJ, CHINJ, UMDNJ-RWJMS, Rutgers, and Princeton University scientists and has also provided expert services to some NJMS investigators.  Dr. Bhaumik also is developing new technologies and reagents for the generation of mouse models as part of his research activities.