Faculty
C. Thomas Caskey, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Director and Chief Executive Officer
The George & Cynthia Mitchell Distinguished Chair in Neurosciences
The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine
Executive Vice President of Molecular Medicine and Genetics
Dr. Caskey attended the University of South Carolina (1956-58) and Duke University Medical School (1958-63). As a medical student he was a
David Gorenstein, Ph.D.
Professor and Deputy Director
David Gorenstein, Ph.D., joined the UTHSC-H January 1, 2009 as Professor and Deputy Director of the IMM. Dr. Gorenstein. He was most
Ferid Murad, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Director Emeritus
The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine
Director, IMM Center for Cell Signaling
Texas Nobel Scholar, The University of Texas at Houston
Director, UT Health Science Center at Houston Program in Intracellular Signaling=
1998 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine
Nobel Laureate Ferid Murad, M.D. is Director Emeritus of the Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of
Irma Gigli, M.D.
Deputy Director, The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine
The Walter & Mary Mischer Distinguished Professor in Molecular Medicine
The Hans J. Müller-Eberhard Chair in Immunology
Director, IMM Center for Immunology & Autoimmune Diseases
Dr. Irma Gigli received her undergraduate education in Argentina and did her medical training at Cook County Hospital, Chicago.
Ka Bian, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor; Center for Cell Signaling
Dr. Bian obtained his MD degree from Zhejiang University School of Medicine in 1982 and worked as a physician (cardiovascular major) in...
Perry E. Bickel, M.D.
Associate Professor and Director, IMM Center for Diabetes and Obesity Research
Visiting Associate Professor and Associate Director of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine
Dr. Bickel’s research interests include the molecular mechanisms of lipid storage and utilization within cells, tissues, and organisms. His program seeks to identify molecular targets for nutritional or pharmacological strategies to prevent and treat diabetes and obesity in humans.
Eric Boerwinkle, Ph.D.
Professor and Director, IMM Center for Human Genetics
Kozmetsky Family Chair in Human Genetics
Professor and Director, Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health
The research interests of Dr. Boerwinkle encompass the genetic analysis of the common chronic diseases in humans, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, and non-insulin dependent (type II) diabetes.
Michael C. Braun, M.D.
Assistant Professor, IMM Center for Immunology & Autoimmune Diseases
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Associate Fellowship Program Director,
and Director of Pediatric Nephrology Research, UT Medical School at Houston
Recruited to the IMM in August of 2001, Dr. Braun is a graduate of Princeton University (Magna Cum Laude) and the University of Pennsylvania
Nathalie Brouard, Ph.D.
Instructor, Centre for Stem Cell Research
Nathalie Brouard received her PhD from Denis Diderot University -Paris VII. and pursed her postdoctoral training in the laboratory of
Nathan S. Bryan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Center for Cell Signaling
Dr. Bryan earned his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin and his doctoral degree from Louisiana
Rowen J.-Y. Chang, Ph.D.
Professor and Director, Center for Protein Chemistry
Dr. Chang obtained his MS degree from the National Taiwan University at Taipei in 1974 and his Ph.D. from the Australian National
Brian R. Davis, Ph.D.
Associate Professor; Centre for Stem Cell Research
Dr. Davis graduated in 1976 from Harvard University with an A.B. degree, summa cum laude, in Physics. His undergraduate research on searches
Peter A. Doris, Ph.D.
Professor - Center for Human Genetics
Dr. Doris is investigating the genetics and pathophysiologic mechanisms of common cardiovascular diseases. His work is focused on high blood pressure, stroke, and renal injury.
Scott M. Drouin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor; Center for Immunology & Autoimmune Diseases
Dr. Drouin's current research interests lie in understanding the molecular basis of obstructive pulmonary diseases such as asthma and COPD.
Myriam Fornage, Ph.D.
Associate Professor Center for Human Genetics
Dr. Fornage's research interests lie in the molecular genetics of complex diseases, with an emphasis on cerebrovascular disease and stroke.
Barrett R. Harvey, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor Center for Immunology & Autoimmune Diseases Program in Applied Biologics
Dr. Barrett Harvey earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 2003. He joined Merck Research Laboratories in
David L. Haviland, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Centre for Stem Cell Biology
Dr. Haviland obtained his B.A. from the University of California at San Diego in 1980, an M.A. from the University of California at Riverside in 1982, and also his Ph.D. in 1987.
Hamed Jafar-Nejad, M.D.
Assistant Professor Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The Jafar-Nejad lab uses Drosophila, mouse and cell culture models to study the role of sugar modifications in the regulation of the Notch signaling pathway.
Chuantao Jiang, M.D., Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor Center for Protein Chemistry
Chuantao Jiang was trained as a neurosurgeon after graduation from medical school. Motivated by a desire to become a neuroscientist
Mikhail Kolonin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor; Centre for Stem Cell Research
Dr. Kolonin's research is aimed at understanding how adult mesenchymal stem cells from white adipose tissue effect cancer progression in obesity.
Alexander Kots, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Center for Cell Signaling
The main research interests of Dr. Kots reside in the development of new agents capable of inhibiting or activating synthesis of cyclic nucleotides in animal cells.
Angel Lee, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Laboratory for Systems Biology & Bioinformatics
The laboratory of Dr. Angel Lee studies how intracellular signal transduction pathways activated by growth factor receptors regulate cell growth, survival and differentiation, in the context of monocyte and macrophage development in normal and disease states. At UTH, Dr. Lee will participate in the exciting initiative in systems biology and develop two new projects, the first in the tumor microenvironment, focusing on the role of myeloid-derived cells and the second in the phosphoproteomic profiling of growth factor responses in cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage
Ali J. Marian, M.D.
Professor and Director Center for Cardiovascular Genetic Research
Dr. Marian received his M.D in 1981 from Tehran University in Iran. He completed post-doctoral training in Internal Medicine at Cook
Emil Martin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Center for Cell Signaling
Dr. Martin's current research interests lie in understanding the molecular basis of nitric oxide/cGMP signaling in cells
Nami McCarty, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Centre for Stem Cell Research
Dr. Nami McCarty received M.S. degree at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL in 1994. She obtained her Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology from Purdue University in 2000. From 1998 - 2005, she received her postdoctoral training at the Cancer Center, MIT and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard Medical School.
Kalpana Mujoo, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor; Center for Cell Signaling
Dr. Mujoo’s current research interests lie in elucidation of molecular mechanisms in proliferation and differentiation of stem cells with an emphasis on nitric oxide/cGMP pathway
Naoki Nakayama, Ph.D.
Associate Professor - Stem Cell Research
Dr. Nakayama serves as Associate Professor of the Centre for Stem Cell Research at the Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine.
Eva Sevick-Muraca, Ph.D.
Cullen Chair in Molecular Medicine Professor and Director Center for Molecular Imaging
Part of the National Cancer Institute Network for Translational Research
Eva M. Sevick, Ph.D. is Professor and Cullen Chair in Molecular Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center’s
Iraida Sharina, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor; Center for Cell Signaling
The main research interests of Dr. Sharina are directed towards unraveling the multiple physiological roles of NO-dependent cGMP signaling.
Paul J. Simmons, Ph.D.
Professor & Director, Centre for Stem Cell Research
Dr. Simmons serves as Professor and Director of the Centre for Stem Cell Research at the Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine.
Simon Sims, Ph.D.
Dr. Sims received his Ph.D. from the University of Leicester in the UK. He went on to complete post-doctoral studies in gene regulation at the University of Washington, Seattle, and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center here in Houston. Dr. Sims areas of interest include the development and application of new genetics and genomic techniques for rapid and early diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.
David States, M.D., Ph.D.
Visiting Professor, Laboratory for Systems Biology & Bioinformatics
Dr. States brings a unique multidisciplinary training with an MD, clinical training and board certification in internal medicine and a PhD in computational biophysics.
Ba-Bie Teng, Ph.D.
Associate Professor; Center for Human Genetics
Dr. Teng’s laboratory is interested in the discovery of mechanisms contributing to the complex process of atherosclerosis in humans and animal models and design and development of genetic and cell therapies for the treatment of atherosclerotic vascular disease.
Qingchun Tong, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor Center for Obesity and Diabetes
The Tong lab studies how neurocircuitry in the brain controls feeding, energy expenditure and glucose homeostasis.
Dachun Wang, M.D.
Instructor, Center for Immunology & Autoimmune Diseases
Dachun Wang received his M.D. degree from Fujian University of Medical Sciences and graduate training at Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical
Scott E. Wenderfer, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor Center for Immunology & Autoimmune Diseases
The aim of Dr. Wenderfer's research is to understand the molecular responses of the kidney to antigen-antibody immune complexes in both normal and pathological conditions. His laboratory studies these responses in tissue culture systems and in mouse models of kidney disease.
Rick Wetsel, Ph.D.
The William S. Kilroy, Sr. Chair in Pulmonary Disease
Professor; Center for Immunology & Autoimmune Diseases
Director, Laboratory for Developmental Biology
Dr. Wetsel's research interests are directed at understanding the molecular events involved in mediating the inflammatory and immune response in both normal and pathological conditions. His laboratory is also interested in the development of novel therapeutics via embryonic stem cell research.
Sheng Zhang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor - Neurodegenerative Diseases
With a rapidly growing aging population, society is facing a mounting challenge from aging-related neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases. Our laboratory is interested in two questions that are important for these brain disorders: (1) what is the normal function of disease-causative genes?; (2) what regulates the formation of aggregates? We are using Drosophila, commonly known as the fruit fly and one of the best-studied genetic organisms, as a model system to address these questions. Currently our study focuses on Huntington’s (HD) and Parkinson’s diseases.
Eva M. Zsigmond, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor/Associate Director Laboratory for Developmental Biology
Dr. Eva Zsigmond is Assistant Professor of Molecular Medicine and Associate Director of the Laboratory for Developmental Biology
Kevin Rosenblatt, M.D.
Associate Professor
Dr. Kevin P. Rosenblatt’s clinical area of expertise is in biomarker development and assay development; his basic science areas of interest include systems biology, cancer cell and neural cell signaling, and the elucidation of signaling pathways that regulate aging/longevity in animal and cellular models.
Vihang A. Narkar, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Center for Obesity and Diabetes Research
Narkar lab uses a combination of genetic engineering and pharmacological targeting in mice to study transcriptional pathways that control skeletal muscle function in health and in diseases such as diabetes and muscular dystrophies.