Stefan Feske, M.D.
Principal Investigator
Professor and Vice Chair for Research, Department of Pathology
Jeffrey Bergstein Professor of Medicine
Director, Ion Channels & Transporters in Immunity (ICTI) Program
Co-Director, Translational Immunology Center (TrIC)
M.D. and Residency, University of Freiburg, Germany
Postdoc, Harvard Medical School
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Having grown up in East Westphalia, Germany, I studied medicine at the Universities of Hamburg and Freiburg at opposing ends of the country. From early on, I was drawn to the complexity of the immune system and to the challenge of understanding what happens when it fails. That interest led me to complete my medical research thesis on primary immunodeficiency and earn my M.D., followed by clinical training in rheumatology and clinical immunology at the University of Freiburg and research training at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology. During my postdoctoral studies at Harvard Medical School, I contributed to the identification of ORAI1 as the gene encoding the CRAC channel and to the definition of a new rare disease, now known as CRAC channelopathy. These discoveries helped shape the course of my scientific work and established a lasting interest in the role of ion channels in immune function. At NYU, my laboratory has shown that CRAC channels are essential to immune responses in infection, cancer, autoimmunity, and allergy, providing a strong rationale for the development of CRAC channel inhibitors as immunotherapeutic agents. I am also a scientific co-founder of CalciMedica, a biotechnology company advancing such inhibitors in clinical trials for inflammatory diseases. More broadly, my lab seeks to understand how ion channels, transporters, and ionic signaling pathways regulate immunity in health and disease. I am equally committed to fostering a community in this emerging field, which led me to found the ICTI program at NYU and to support webinars, conferences, and Immunochannels.org as forums for scientific exchange. Outside of science, I enjoy New York City’s remarkable cultural life, especially early music and modern art.
Yinhu (Tiger) Wang, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D. in Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, China
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I am originally from Hami, a small city in Xinjiang, China. I received my B.S. in Biology and Ph.D. in Cell Biology from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei, China. I am currently a senior postdoctoral fellow in the Feske Lab at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. My research interests focus on immunology, particularly the roles of calcium channel and other ion channels and transporters (ICTs) in immune cell function. I am especially interested in identifying unique ICTs that regulate humoral immunity and autoimmunity and understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying their functions. Outside the lab, I enjoy playing basketball. If you also play, please let me know—we could get together and team up.
Li Zhong, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D., Wuhan University
B.S., Wuhan University
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I’m originally from Yueyang, Hunan Province, China. I moved to Wuhan for college and earned my Ph.D. in Biology from Wuhan University. Continuing my preference for universities named after their cities, I joined New York University after graduation. My research interests include immunology, genetics, and molecular biology. Outside the lab, I enjoy growing plants, especially vegetables. Now, peppers and pumpkins are my favorites!
Kaiwen Ma, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan
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Education: PhD, Tokyo Medical and Dental University.
Maxwell McDermott, M.A.
Bioinformatician
M.A. in Biochemistry, Hunter College, New York, NY
B.S. in Chemistry and Philosophy, SUNY Geneseo
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I was raised in New York City and, in fact, was born at NYU Langone Hospital, just a few steps away from our lab. I spent the better part of a decade working as a critical care flight paramedic before returning to school to obtain my master’s degree. Prior to joining the Feske Lab, I worked in the Mande Holford Lab, studying marine snail venom and mucins. My interests include computational biology, machine learning, image processing, and investment in the biotechnology sector.
Wenyi Li, M.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D., Surgery, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
MS, Clinical Medicine, Central South University
MBBS, Clinical Medicine, Central South University
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I was born and raised in Changsha, China, where I lived until moving to the United States. I received my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Clinical Medicine and my doctoral degree in Medicine from Central South University. During my graduate training, my research focused on orthopedic oncology and tumor immunology. My current research interests center on immune cell signaling and function. Outside the lab, I enjoy exploring New York City with my family and am always happy to discover a new restaurant.
Lucile Noyer, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D. in Biology and Health Sciences, University of Lille, France
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After obtaining a PhD in cell and molecular biology from the University of Lille, France, I joined the Feske lab as a postdoctoral fellow. My work focuses on ion channels and transporters regulating T cells in autoimmunity. I’m interested in autoimmunity, anti-tumor immunity, metabolism and epigenetics.
Ke Hu, M.S.
Non-traditional volunteer
M.S. at Columbia University
B.S. at New York University
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I was born in China and grew up in Vancouver, Canada. I received my bachelor’s degree from NYU College of Arts and Science and my master’s degree from Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and I am now beginning my PhD in Immunology at Harvard Medical School. My research focuses broadly on understanding how ion channels and metabolic transporters regulate B-cell function, particularly plasma-cell differentiation. Outside of the lab, I enjoy tennis, skiing, and traveling.
Miki Jishage, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Graduate University for Advanced Studies and National Institute of Genetics, Japan
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Education: Ph.D. in Biochemistry,
Graduate Univ. for Advanced Studies and National Institute of Genetics, Japan
Kiyomi Araki, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Osaka University
MA, Medical Science @ University of Tsukuba
BS, Biological Science @ UC Davis
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I have been working in cancer research and neuroscience for more than 20 years. As an undergraduate, I was interested in both neuroscience and immunology. I am very grateful that I finally have the opportunity to work in an immunology lab.
Alumni
Serap Erdogmus, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D. at Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Germany
Education: Pharmacist, PhD, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany.
Liwei Wang, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D. at University of Rochester, NY
Education: PhD in Pharmacology, University of Rochester.
Research Interest: Function of Ion channels in Immuno-oncology and Autoimmunity.
Anthony Tao, M.D., Ph.D.
M.D./Ph.D. Student
Education: BSc, New York University.
Research Interest: Role of ion channels in B cell physiology.
Dominik Drmic, M.D.
Visiting Medical Student
M.D. at University of Heidelberg, Germany
Axel R. Concepcion Gonzalez, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D. at University of Navarra, Spain
Education: PhD, University of Navarra.
Ulrike Kaufmann, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D. at Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Germany
Education: PhD, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Germany.
Sascha Kahlfuss, M.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
M.D. at University of Magdeburg, Germany
Martin Vaeth, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D. at University of Wuerzburg, Germany
Mate Maus, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D. at Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
Carl Weidinger, M.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
M.D. at Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Germany