The Azab Lab strives to cultivate an enjoyable yet intellectually rigorous environment that promotes both scientific and professional development. The diverse cultural and scientific backgrounds of our team members provide us with a unique ability to approach and solve scientific problems with broad perspective, while fostering teamwork and collaboration.
Dr. Ildiko Badea is a Professor of Pharmacy, member of the Drug Discovery and Development Research Group, and the co-chair of the University of Saskatchewan Biomedical Research Ethics Board.
Dr. Badea’s research program focuses on the development of novel nanoparticle delivery systems and the use of DNA as a biotechnology drug. Her research group develops and tests the transfer efficiency of novel nanoparticle delivery systems. Successfully delivering cytotoxic agents into cancer cells, without affecting healthy cells, can lead to treatments for cancers with poor outcomes, such as skin cancers.
| Degree |
Area of Study |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| BS.Pharm |
Pharmacy |
Universitatea de Medicina si Farmacie, Romania |
| Ph.D. |
Pharmacy | University of Saskatchewan, Canada |
Outside work, Ildiko like spending time with my family, having big family dinners. In addition, she upcycles furniture, to minimize waste and take advantage of good quality old stuff. She also likes gardening and growing organic vegetables.
Feda's research focuses on developing ex vivo cancer models to predict therapeutic efficacy in individual patients, advancing the field of personalized medicine.
After obtaining her bachelors degree, Feda gained several years of experience in a compounding pharmacy and she relocated to Boston, MA, to join the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School as Lead Research Technician where she discovered her passion for research. Since 2012, she has worked as a research technician in the Azab lab. In 2016, Cellatrix LLC, a startup company originating from the Azab lab, appointed Feda as Senior Scientist to lead its research team, a role in which she continues to consult.
| Degree |
Area of Study |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| B.Pharm. |
Pharmacy |
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel |
In her spare time, Feda enjoys engaging in artistic pursuits, particularly crafts and drawing. She also finds joy in immersing herself in literature and experimenting with recipes from diverse cuisines.
Mina's research centers on the role of the tumor microenvironment in immunotherapy, with a particular emphasis on the discovery of novel tumor-associated antigens.
Mina's master's thesis concentrated on nanoimmunotherapy for blood cancer, specifically developing nanoparticle-based immunotherapies aimed at targeting the tumor microenvironment in multiple myeloma.
| Degree |
Area of Study |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| B.S. |
Pharmacy |
Heliopolis University, Egypt |
| M.S. |
Microbiology & Immunology |
Friedrich Schiller University, Germany/Washington University, St. Louis |
Mina showcases a variety of interests and skills beyond his scientific endeavors. He is passionate about physical fitness and enjoys an array of exciting sports, including calisthenics, parkour, and diving.
Camila's current research focuses on developing nanoparticles specifically designed to target endothelial cells within the tumor microenvironment for immunotherapy applications.
Dr. Diedrich's doctoral research concentrated on the development and characterization of a chitosan-coated nanoemulsion containing luteolin, aiming to optimize its intranasal delivery for the treatment of brain tumors.
| Degree |
Area of Study |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| B.S. |
Chemistry |
Federal Technological University of Panra |
| M.S. |
Chemical & Biochemical Technology Processes |
Federal Technological University of Panra |
| Ph.D. |
Organic Chemistry |
Midwestern University, Brazil |
In her spare time outside the lab, Dr. Diedrich enjoys gardening, swimming, and engaging in spirited volleyball games. Hailing from Pato Branco, Paraná, Brazil—a city renowned for its technology startups and vibrant medical community—she delights in her favorite dish, Pão de Queijo, a savory Brazilian cheese bread. Dr. Diedrich also enjoys spending time with her ginger cat, Aristoteles, and hopes to adopt a Golden Retriever in the future.
Seti's research is focused on the development of local delivery of cancer therapeutics to the tumor bed, for higher efficacy in the tumor, and lower side effects in distant normal tissues.
During her PhD dissertation, Dr. Arsalani developed advanced multifunctional nanoparticles designed for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Her research encompassed the synthesis, comprehensive characterization, and rigorous testing of these nanoparticles, specifically for their efficacy in magnetomotive ultrasound imaging and magnetic hyperthermia.
| Degree |
Area of Study |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| B.S. |
Biomedical Engineering |
Azad University of Tehran, Iran |
| M.S. |
Medical Physics |
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil |
| Ph.D. |
Medical Physics |
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil |
Outside of her professional pursuits, Dr. Arsalani is proficient in three languages—Farsi, English, and Portuguese—and finds pleasure in delving into the customs, culinary delights, and languages of diverse cultures. With a keen interest in music, she derives enjoyment from both classic Persian melodies and Western compositions. Additionally, Dr. Arsalani is passionate about traditional Persian dance and Brazilian Forro.
In the Azab Lab, Katie's research seeks to develop novel in vivo and in vitro patient-derived cancer models which accurately recapitulate the tumor microenvironment. Her research strives to enhance personalized medicine and drug development processes while reducing cost to improve accessibility and efficiency.
Under the supervision of Dr. Michael Bentley, Katie’s undergraduate research at Minnesota State University Mankato aimed to elucidate the influence of testosterone on bone mineralization. During her Masters, Katie remained in the Bentley lab and expanded upon her previous work by investigating the role of other sex steroids on bone mineralization.
Upon completing her Masters degree, she joined Dr. Orhan Öz's research lab at UT Southwestern in the Department of Radiology. During this period, she employed tissue-specific transgenic murine models to investigate the physiological effects of aromatase deficiency. Additionally, she contributed to a clinical study comparing the diagnostic efficacy of 99mTc-labelled white blood cell SPECT/CT, MRI, and the established gold standard, bone biopsy, in cases of diabetic foot infection.
| Degree |
Area of Study |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| B.S. |
Biomedical Science |
Minnesota State University Mankato |
| M.S. |
Biomedical |
Minnesota State University Mankato |
Originally from Northern Minnesota, Katie's upbringing was enriched by a plethora of outdoor pursuits, including ice fishing, bow hunting, and gardening. Beyond her professional endeavors, she finds fulfillment in the exploration of diverse cultures, animals, and diligently preparing for marathons alongside her canine companion, Batman.
Obed's research focuses on the immune microenvironment in multiple myeloma, particularly the mechanisms underlying the role of macrophages in myeloma progression and drug resistance. Ultimately, he aims to translate his insights into novel treatments for myeloma.
Obed's master's thesis at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), under the supervision of Dr. Kim, focused on elucidating the complex interplay between autophagy and apoptosis in the context of Ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced skin carcinogenesis. This research aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the crosstalk between these two cellular processes and their contributions to the development and progression of skin cancer in response to UVB exposure.
| Degree |
Area of Study |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| B.S. |
Biochemistry |
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology |
| M.S. |
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology |
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley |
Having lived in many places, Obed has developed a deep appreciation for cultural diversity, but is originally from Obuasi, Ghana (West Africa). This area is renowned for its stunning natural beauty and abundant natural resources, including one of the largest gold deposits in the world. In his free time, Obed enjoys playing soccer (football), traveling, sightseeing, and playing the piano.
In the Azab Lab, Winston's research is centered on reactivating the tumor microenvironment. His work involves developing innovative nanoparticle systems for gene delivery to enhance T cell activation in both in vitro and in vivo settings.
Following his graduation, he worked as a Research Associate at Academia Sinica, the top national research institution in Taiwan, where he focused on developing novel liposomal platforms for enhanced drug delivery.
| Degree |
Area of Study |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| B.S. |
Biotechnology |
National Chung-Hsing University |
Proudly Taiwanese, Winston hails from a country renowned for its friendly people and delicious food. Outside the lab, he enjoys sports, traveling, movies, and TV shows.
Anne is currently pursuing her PhD in Biomedical Engineering through the joint UTA/UTSW program, with a concentration in computational bioengineering. Her research focuses on the normalization of disrupted vasculature and the development of computational methods to analyze fluorescence images related to this work.
Anne's prior research focused on developing a deep learning-based pipeline for the automatic segmentation and tracking of thousands of cells, significantly reducing analysis time and enhancing the accuracy of traditional methods, which require manual cell outlining and multiple software packages. This pipeline enables the identification of specific calcium spiking patterns and spatial localization of cells over time-series image stacks.
| Degree |
Area of Study |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| B.S. |
Biomedical Engineering |
University of Texas, Arlington |
Outside the lab, Anne enjoys quality time with her parents at their ranch near Fort Worth and exploring new restaurants with friends. She spends her weekends contributing to the upkeep of the garden and caring for the horses, cows, and goats.
Varsha's research is focused on the development of local delivery of Cisplatin to cervical cancer, for higher efficacy in the tumor, and lower side effects in distant normal tissues.
| Degree |
Area of Study |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| B.S. |
Neuroscience |
UT Dallas |
Outside the lab, Varsha is an Indian Classical Dancer who has mastered three traditional art forms. In her free time, she embraces a range of artistic pursuits, from dancing and painting to exploring new cuisines with family and friends.
Summer Undergraduate Research Foundation (SURF) Fellow
Biomedical Engineering B.S. Student
Purdue University
Mihika is currently pursuing her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University. Her work in the Azab lab focuses on microfluidics.
| Degree |
Area of Study |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| B.S. |
Biomedical Engineering |
Purdue University |
Originally from Peoria, Illinois, Mihika has also lived in Brazil and India. When she's not in the lab working on microfluidic chips, she enjoys baking, crocheting, singing, and playing the piano.