Current lab members

  • Principle Investigator

    boris.reizis@bsd.uchicago.edu

    Boris did his thesis research in immunology with Irun R. Cohen at the Weizmann Institute, and trained as a postdoc with Philip Leder at Harvard Medical School before starting his lab in 2003 at Columbia University, and moving to NYU in 2015. In October 2025, Boris and his colleagues moved to the University of Chicago.

  • Research Scientist

    TaeJin.Yun@nyulangone.org

    Tae Jin received his Ph.D. from McGill University.

    His research interest is on pDC response to viral infection, both human and mouse, and pDC differentiation in mouse hematopoietic system.

    He enjoys running along the East River and loves Sour Patch candy.

  • Postdoctoral Fellow

    sohei.makita@bsd.uchicago.edu

    Sohei received his MD and Ph.D degrees in Chiba University, Japan.

    Since he joined our lab in 2021, he works on the role of human DNases in autoimmunity.

    Outside of lab, he enjoys spending time with his family and playing together.

  • Postdoctoral Fellow

    annesa.das@bsd.uchicago.edu

    Annesa received PhD training in Immunology from National Institute of Immunology (NII), India

    Her study focuses on better understanding the development and function of one of the most fascinating cells of the immune system- plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs).

    She loves to read books, hike, exercise, cook, visit museums and historical places in her leisure time, while photography and gardening are her favorite hobbies.

  • Graduate Student

    Pei-Feng.Hsu@nyulangone.org

    Pei-Feng is currently a PhD candidate in the training program of Immunology and Inflammation. He received a bachelor's degree from the National Taiwan University (NTU) and his master's degree in Pharmacology from the School of Medicine at NTU as well as a master’s degree in Biology at NYU.

    Pei-Feng is interested in the development of immune cells, specifically focusing on the regulators that control the differentiation and proliferation of dendritic cells, monocytes, and macrophages.

  • Graduate Student

    Daniel.Martinez-Krams@nyulangone.org

    Daniel graduated in 2022 from Stanford University, where he earned a degree in Biology with honors. After graduating, he began as an MD/PhD student at NYU and completed his first two years of medical school, including his clerkship year. He also co-founded the MSTP Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Journal Club, aimed at promoting dialogue and action within the overlapping spaces of education, healthcare, and research. Daniel intends to pursue a physician-scientist training program in pediatrics. 

    Daniel is jointly co-mentored by Boris and Dr. Amanda Lund, studying the role of dendritic cells in cancer. Outside of the lab, he enjoys cooking, playing and watching sports, and hanging out with his cat Mookie.

  • Postdoctoral Scholar

    srijoni.majhi@bsd.uchicago.edu

    Srijoni received her PhD in Chemistry from University of Michigan.

    Srijoni has mixed feelings about cats.

  • Graduate Student

    kungtim@uchicago.edu

    Tim graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.Sc. in Biology. He then worked as an NIH postbaccalaureate fellow and as a research associate at Precigen prior to joining NYU. 

    Tim is researching the role of dendritic cells in immunological tolerance. 

    Outside of the lab, Tim enjoys playing video games, going to Disney theme parks, and trying out the unique restaurants in Chicago.

  • Postdoctoral Fellow

    hua.jin@bsd.uchicago.edu

    Hua received her Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC).

    After she joined the Reizis lab in 2022, she has been focusing on the mechanisms of endogenous hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis in native mammalian organisms.

    She is a traveler and foodie.

FELLOWS/ASSOCIATES

  • Michele Caton
    Postdoc, 2005-10
    At present: science education

  • Taheri Sathaliyawala
    Postdoc, 2006-10
    At present: Senior Scientist, Janssen Research & Development

  • Jose Esquilin
    Clinical Fellow, 2009-11
    At present: Hematology/Oncology, Driscoll Children Hospital, Corpus Christi, TX

  • Miera Rechtschaffen
    Clinical Fellow, 2007-12
    At present: clinical practice in internal diseases/pulmonology

  • Dipyaman Ganguly
    Postdoc, 2010 -12
    At present: Head of Biology Department, Ashoka University, India

    https://www.ashoka.edu.in/profile/dipyaman-ganguly/

  • Stuart Weisberg
    Postdoc, 2008-13

    At present: Assistant Profesor of Pathology, Columbia University Medical Center

    https://www.pathology.columbia.edu/profile/stuart-p-weisberg-md

  • Stefan Haak
    Postdoc, 2011-13
    At present: SVP and Head of Research and Development, Mysthera Therapeutics

  • Anna Bunin
    Postdoc, 2007-13
    At present: Executive Director of Drug Discovery, BioHaven

  • Hiyaa Singhee Ghosh
    Postdoc, 2008-14
    At present: Faculty/lab head, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, India

    https://www.ncbs.res.in/faculty/hiyaa

  • Cliff Yang
    Postdoc, 2012-15
    At present: Professor/lab head, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China

  • Catherine Sawai
    Postdoc/Assistant Professor, 2010-17
    At present: Faculty/lab head, University of Bordeaux, France

    https://www.insb.cnrs.fr/fr/personne/catherine-sawai

  • Vanja Sisirak
    Postdoc/Research Scientist, 2010-17
    At present: Faculty/lab head, University of Bordeaux, France

    https://immunoconcept.cnrs.fr/people/vanja-sisirak/

  • Johannes Hartl
    Postdoc, 2018-20
    At present: Medical faculty, University Medical Center Hamburg - Eppendorf

  • Ioanna Tiniakou
    Postdoc, 2015-21
    At present: Senior Scientist, EndoGene

  • Oriana Perez

    Postdoc, 2017-22

    At present: Senior Scientist, Boehringer Ingelheim

  • Chetna Soni

    Associate Scientist, 2016-22

    At present: Research Assistant Professor, University of Michigan

  • Jue Feng

    Postdoc, 2013-15/Associate Scientist, 2016-23

    At present: Assistant Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

  • Joseph Pucella

    Postdoc, 2018-23

    At present: Research Instructor, NYUGSoM

    https://med.nyu.edu/faculty/joseph-pucella

  • Anna Eichinger

    Postdoc, 2019-2023   

    At present: Clinical fellow, University Hospital, Munich, Germany

  • Craig Smuda

    Clinical and Postdoctoral Fellow, 2019-2023

    At Present: Assistant Professor, University of Chicago School of Medicine https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/find-a-physician/physician/craig-smuda

  • Nicholas Adams

    Postdoc, 2019-2025

    At Present: Assistant Professor, University of Rochester

    https://www.theadamslaboratory.org/

Alumni

GRADUATE STUDENTS

  • Teresita Arenzana
    Ph.D., 2008
    At present: Associate Director, Translational Sciences, HIBio

  • Jose Galan
    Ph.D., 2008
    At present: consulting industry

  • Sivan Harel
    Ph.D., 2008
    At present: Director, Translational Biomarkers & Bioanalytics, Chroma Medicine

  • Babacar Cisse
    Ph.D., 2008
    At present: Assistant Professor, Weill Cornell Medical Center

    https://weillcornell.org/babacar-cisse-md-phd

  • Matthew Smith-Raska
    Ph.D., 2010
    At present: Assistant Professor, Weill Cornell Medical Center

    https://weillcornell.org/matthew-smith-raska-md-phd

  • Kanako Lewis
    Ph.D., 2011
    At present: Product Manager, Cell Analysis, BioLegend

  • Colin Palmer
    Ph.D., 2013

  • Colleen Lau
    Ph.D., 2015
    At present: Assistant Professor, Cornell University

    https://www.vet.cornell.edu/research/faculty/colleen-lau-phd

  • Lucja Grajkowska
    Ph.D., 2015
    At present: Scientific Director, Eloquent

  • Ben Sally
    Ph.D., 2016
    At present: consulting industry

  • Margaret Kirkling
    Ph.D., 2019
    At present: Investigator, Glaxo SmithKline

  • Samik Upadhaya
    Ph.D., 2019
    At present: director of scientific affairs, the Cancer Research Institute

    https://www.cancerresearch.org/our-team/samik-upadhaya-ph-d

  • Yueyang Wang
    M.Sc., 2020
    At present: Ph.D. student, NYUGSoM

  • Fengshuo Liu
    M.Sc., 2021
    At present: Ph.D. student, the Baylor College of Medicine

  • Lee Serpas
    Ph.D. 2021
    At present: research pathway fellow in pediatrics, UCSD

  • Joseph Saglimbeni
    Ph.D., 2023
    At present: resident in anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medical Center

  • Geunhyo Jang
    Ph.D., 2023
    At present: postdoctoral fellow, Harvard Medical School

  • Allegra Iliadi Alexiou
    M.Sc., 2024

  • Josue Canales
    M.Phil., 2024

STAFF

  • Esther Zhiying Hou
    Staff Scientist, 2004-15

  • Joseph David
    Research Technician, 2015-17
    At present: physician, family medicine 

  • Sandra Nakandakari Higa
    Research Technician, 2016-17
    At present: Ph.D. student, Rockefeller University

  • Justin Mehl
    Research Technician, 2017-19
    At present: medical resident, anesthesiology

  • Christopher Beam
    Research Technician, 2017-19
    At present: science teacher, Reno, NV

  • Eduardo Esteva
    Computational Biologist, 2021-25
    At present: Ramkhelawon Lab, NYU

  • Lab Manager

    william.huntley@bsd.uchicago.edu

    Will received his B.A. with a concentration in Cell Biology from Bennington College in 2023.

    He manages the lab and is interested in investigating cell neighborhoods via image and data analysis.

    He enjoys reading, going to museums and parks, skiing, trying new restaurants, and cooking meals with his friends.