Our People

I was born and raised in China, where I completed my undergraduate studies at Tsinghua University, majoring in biological science with a minor in computer science. During my PhD in Britt Adamson’s lab at Princeton University, I focused on understanding the mechanisms of genome editing tools and enhancing their efficiency. I am currently a joint postdoc in the Shy lab and the Marson lab, where I am excited to study T-cell biology using next-generation sequencing and functional genomics techniques. I am also really interested in developing and improving genome editing tools to engineer T cells for cancer immunotherapy. Outside the lab, I enjoy running, playing badminton, and cooking.

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I received my MD and PhD (neuroscience) diplomas from the University of Semmelweis, Budapest, Hungary. Afterwards, I worked in Hungary and in the UK in internal medicine, anesthesiology, and critical care; and I completed a CP residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center at Loma Linda, CA. I am currently a transfusion and cellular therapy fellow at UCSF, with an interest in product development, basic research, and transfusion medicine.

I obtained my B.S. in human biology (biochemistry major) and M.S. in biotechnology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India. I subsequently earned my Ph.D. in immunology at the University of Texas (UT) at Houston and did my postdoctoral training in Dr. Clifford Lowell’s lab at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). I then went on to work at the Cancer Immunotherapy Program (CIP) that was founded by my mentor Dr. Lawrence Fong at UCSF and the Parker Institute of Cancer Immunology (PICI). As the lead scientist at CIP, I utilized mass cytometry (CyTOF), R-programming and machine learning to analyze immune responses in large datasets from clinical trials of novel immunotherapies (monoclonal antibody blockade of immune checkpoints / cellular therapy / small molecules) for advanced prostate and pancreatic cancer. As part of the Shy lab currently, I am working on various aspects of development and manufacturing of next generation T cell therapies. In my free time, I catch up with friends, look after my orchid collection, read, hike or find the next cool coffee place in San Francisco.

I am originally from Minnesota. I recently graduated from UC Davis with a major in Biotechnology, emphasizing in Bioinformatics. During my time there, I was a research technician studying integrated pest biology and the effects of pesticides, predation, and parasitism on common agricultural pests. After undergrad, I used comparative genomics to study the endosymbiont Wolbachia to see if it was possible to culture it axenically. Outside of lab, I enjoy reading and trying to bake new things!

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I grew up on the East coast and received a B.S. in Biology with Chemistry and Neuroscience minors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. My interest in genetic engineering started as an undergraduate and lead me to research at UNC’s Gene Therapy Center under Dr. Chengwen Li and Dr.Jude Samulski. My research focused on optimizing a therapeutic AAV cassette for Hemophilia type A which gave me priceless hands-on experience. After graduation, I entered the biotech industry in hopes of starting a career in science. Most recently, I worked at a genomic medicine biotech in San Francisco, Sangamo Therapeutics, doing early-stage drug development for neurodegenerative diseases. Jumping back into academia, I am excited to work in the Shy Lab and contribute to CRISPR epigenetic screens for future clinical applications.

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I completed my medical training at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and my PhD work in Dr. John Wherry’s laboratory, where I focused on elucidating the transcription and epigenetic factors required for the differentiation of T cells in the context of chronic viral infection and cancer. Most recently, I served as the Director of Immunology at ArsenalBio, a synthetic immunology company working to develop the next generation of programmable cell therapies for applications in oncology. Now, as a Clinical Fellow in Cellular Therapy and Transfusion Medicine at UCSF, my interests lie at the intersection of fundamental T cell immunology and engineering. I am currently focused on optimizing mRNA-based immune cell engineering approaches to improve the safety, cost, and applicability of cellular therapies. Outside of the lab, I enjoy hiking, traveling, and crafting a great cocktail.

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My name is Dmytro Dorovskyi, I was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine and got my master’s degree in molecular biology at the MIPT University. Currently, I working in the Shy Lab as a visiting student. I am very excited to work with Dr. Shy trying to implement new findings from CRISPR epigenetic screens into the clinical trials and process development. A big fan of UFC and WWE. A cat person. No pineapples on pizza.

I completed my postdoctoral research with Prof. Tom Soh at Stanford School of Medicine in 2022. Prior to that, I earned my Ph.D. in chemical biology under the guidance of Prof. Ryan Hili at the University of Georgia in 2018. I got my bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Tianjin University in 2013. With a cumulative academic experience spanning 10 years, I have expertise in diverse areas such as oligonucleotide solid-phase synthesis, HPLC/PAGE purification, DNA chemical biology, qPCR, ePCR/ddPCR, NGS, SPR and flow cytometry. I have contributed to over 10 publications, including first-author JACS and Angewandte Chemie.

In addition to wet lab techniques, I harbored a longstanding interest in dry lab work. With a background as a computational chemical engineer, I taught myself Schrödinger certificate courses for molecular dynamic modeling and Python courses for NGS data analysis. Wet lab techniques, together with dry lab simulation and analysis, help me to get a better understanding of biophysics principles in the DNA world.

I obtained my B.S. from Ocean University of China, where my dissertation research characterized TET1-dependent DNA demethylation in iPSC induction. I pursued my Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine with Dr. Nicholas Baker, focusing on the function and regulation of bHLH transcription factors in neural development. From 2018 to 2023, I worked as a postdoctoral associate with Dr. Yuh-Nung Jan at HHMI/UCSF, where I employed surface proteomics to identify novel molecules that regulate cellular fitness and epithelial cell competition.

At the Shy lab, I lead independent research aimed at advancing immune cell engineering, while also assuming responsibility for the development of preclinical cell therapies. Beyond my professional pursuits, I enjoy traveling and spending time with my family.

I was born in Seoul, South Korea but spent most of my life in sunny Southern California and attended Harvey Mudd College where I majored in Molecular Biology. During my senior year, I focused on bacterial genetics where I studied the role of transcription factors in gene expression. However, through various undergraduate courses, I became increasingly interested in translational research within the field of immunology. In the Shy Lab, I work to further process development efforts for clinical pipelines including the BCMA-CAR project. Outside of the lab, I enjoy baking, trying out new restaurants in the city, and volunteering at the SF SPCA.

I was born and raised in San Francisco, and graduated from University of California, Los Angeles where I majored in Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology and minored in Biomedical Research. At the Radu Lab at UCLA, I had the opportunity to help develop and refine a mRNA vaccine strategy to enhance adoptive T cell therapy dendritic cell models. Through my research experience at the Radu Lab, I developed a passion for immunology and interest to explore other methods to improve immunotherapies, which led me to the Shy Lab. As an SRA at the Shy Lab, I am excited to learn more about novel CRISPR platforms and using them to improve CAR T cell therapies. In my free time, I love hiking, reading sci-fiction/fantasy, keeping up with the Warriors, hanging out with my dog, and binging shows.

I have completed PhD from Pondicherry University, India. I worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow in UCSF. I am currently working as head of the Quality Control department at the HICTF, UCSF developing QC assays for the cell therapy product development and manufacturing.

I am engaged in teaching Immunology and Cancer Biology at the UCSC Extension in Santa Clara.

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As an administrative officer with a bachelor’s degree in dental surgery, India and a master’s degree in healthcare administration, US; I bring a unique blend of clinical and logistical expertise to my role.At Shylab, my expertise in scheduling, payroll and travel management, and other essential tasks enables my team to focus on their core responsibilities. I lead new employee orientation during their first week at work, ensuring they are well-equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to succeed in their roles. My recent work in logo design has enhanced our team’s visual identity.Outside of work, I enjoy cooking Indian dishes and experimenting with homemade spice blends. I love getting out into nature and capturing its beauty through photography, refining the images in my spare time.

I graduated UC Santa Barbara in 2019 with a B.S. in Pharmacology and minor in Chemistry. During my senior year, I worked with Dr. Julie Simpson to study how targeted optogenetic perturbations affected the dynamics and patterns of animal behavior using drosophila as a model organism. I then went to Osaka University for a summer as a research intern under the guidance of Dr. Yoshiaki Okada and Dr. Takefumi Doi where I worked to develop a novel method of treating fibrosis using epigenetic approaches to revert fibroblasts into endothelial-like cells. To further pursue my interest in genetic engineering and translational research, I joined the Marson Lab and Investigational Cell Therapy Group at UCSF, where I worked with Dr. Brian Shy to improve non-viral methods of CRISPR-based gene editing and develop clinical-scale manufacturing processes for multiple gene and cell therapies aimed at treating autoimmune diseases and cancer. I now continue both these efforts as part of the Shy Lab, developing novel genomic and epigenomic engineering platforms using CRISPR-based tools for clinical and foundational applications. In my free time, I enjoy playing tennis, practicing photography, and spending time with my corgi, Meeko.