Jonathan A. Kirk, PhD  
Associate Professor & Vice Chair
Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine

Jonathan received his B.S. in Bioengineering at Washington State University (Go Cougs!), his Ph.D. in Bioengineering at University of Pittsburgh (Go Panthers), and his post-doctoral training in the division of Cardiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (go... blue jays, I think). 
Mary Papadaki, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor
mpapadaki@luc.edu

Education: BSc, MRes, Ph.D. at Imperial College London 

Research Interests: Diabetes and heart failure

Hobbies: Running, eating, going to the beach

Fun fact: Before science, Mary wanted to become a theater producer!
Christine Delligatti
Graduate Student (PhD)
cdelligatti@luc.edu

Education: B.S. in Biological Sciences from Webster University

Research Interests: Glycation PTM crosstalk and the functional consequences

Hobbies: Hiking and traveling, cooking, videogames and tabletop games, and reading.

Fun fact: Christine always restarts from her last save in Skyrim whenever her dog companion, Meeko, meets an untimely end. 
​​​​​​​

Nitha Aima Muntu
Graduate Student (MS)
naimamuntu@luc.edu

Education: B.S. in Microbiology from Washington State University

Research Interests: A little bit of everything at the moment

Hobbies: Hiking, exploring new places, and cooking.

Fun fact: Nitha likes "experimenting" with cooking.
Ahmed Zied
Graduate Student (MS)
azied@luc.edu

Education: B.S. in Kinesiology & Health from Iowa State University

Research Interests: Human Bcl2-associated athanogene (BAG3) and its role in cardiac myofilament health for translational research

Hobbies: Cooking, watching soccer, hiking, travelling/road trips, watching documentaries

Fun fact: Ahmed once paid a guy to let him climb the first few steps of the Great Pyramid of Giza
Michaela Door
Lab Manager and Research Technician
mdoor@luc.edu

Education: B.S. in Biopsychology from University of California, Santa Barbara

Research Interests: Regulation of GSK-3beta activity at the sarcomere

Hobbies: Snowboarding, camping, and crochet.

Fun fact: Michaela has seen over 60 artists live in concert.
Laura Sherer, PhD
Post-doctoral Fellow
lsherer@luc.edu

Education: BA from the College of Wooster, MS and PhD from the University of Minnesota

Research Interests: The regulation of BAG3 in cardiomyocytes and how it changes in heart failure

Hobbies: Running, reading, traveling, failing miserably at learning Bengali

Fun fact: When Laura was growing up, she owned two goats named Padme and Anakin.
Henry Gong, PhD
Post-doctoral Fellow
hgong@luc.edu

Education: BS from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, PhD from Illinois Institute of Technology

Research Interests: BAG3 and its role in protein quality control of the heart 

Hobbies: Reading, cooking, and playing League of Legend

Fun fact: Henry is really bad at playing League of Legend
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Lab Alumni
Parth Dasai
Parth Dasai
Liz Ai
Liz Ai
Andrei Zlobin
Andrei Zlobin
Edith Perez
Edith Perez
Hana Pak
Hana Pak
Kiela Willis
Kiela Willis
Chutima Rattanasopa
Chutima Rattanasopa
Not a taco
Not a taco
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