Deborah J. Nelson, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator, Professor
Dr. Nelson obtained her PhD in Physiology from the University of California at Los Angeles in the laboratory of Dr. Ernest M. Wright. She completed postdoctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. Bernd Lindemann at the Universitat des Saarlandes in Homburg, Germany and in the laboratory of Dr. Frederick Sachs at SUNY Buffalo. Dr. Nelson has been a faculty member at the University of Chicago since 1985 where she is currently a Professor in the Department of Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Physiology and a member of the Committee on Cell Physiology, Committee on Neurobiology and the Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition.
Vladimir Riazanski, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor
Dr. Riazanski completed postgraduate research in the laboratory of Dr. Heinz Beck at Bonn University Clinic for Epileptology in Bonn, Germany and obtained his PhD in Biophysics from the Instutute of Cell Biophysics at Pushchino, Russia. He completed postdoctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. Istvan Mody at the University of California at Los Angeles and in the Human Brain Lab at the Medical College of Georgia. Dr. Riazanski had a docent position at the Yakutsk State Univerity in Russia. He joined the lab in December 2008.
Lada Purvina
Research Specialist
Lada received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Novosibirsk State University (Russia) majoring in molecular biology. In Novosibirsk, she worked at the Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine analyzing exosomes and their composition. Last two years she worked in St. Petersburg at the Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza (Russia) studying the impact of virus infection on the exosome composition.
Luca Cavinato, Ph.D.
Research Professional
Luca obtained his PhD working in the laboratory of Dr. Ascenzioni at the department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome. He investigated the interaction between macrophages and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, focusing on both host killing and bacterial escaping mechanisms. Additionally he worked on the effects of modulators on the microbicidal activity of Cystic Fibrosis monocytes against P. aeruginosa.
Zihao Sui
Undergraduate Student
Zihao Sui is an undergraduate student intending to major in Cell Biology. She is currently working as an assistant in the Nelson Lab.
Lauria Sun
Undergraduate Student
Lauria is an undergraduate student pursuing a Biology major specializing in Immunology with the intent to enter into medicine. She is currently working as an assistant in the Nelson lab.
Lucy Groothius
Undergraduate Student
Lucy is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in the Biological Sciences with a Specialization in Endocrinology as well as a major in Spanish Literature and Culture. She is currently working as a research assistant in the Nelson lab.
Former Lab members
Gerardo Mauleon Ramos
Adriana Zimnika
Ben Yoshor
Deniz Eracar
Koen Breyne
Nathalie Callaert
Mary Brown
Aida Gabdulkhakova
Vanessa Angelova
Pavel Schevchenko
Lucy Deriy
Erwin Gomez
Brandy Lee
Laurel Farmer