Published on New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center (https://www.wadsworth.org)

Northwell Health Cancer Institute at Rego Park a Program of LIJ

Rajendra K. Agrawal, PhD

Chief, Cellular and Molecular Basis of Diseases

We study mechanisms of protein biosynthesis in bacterial and eukaryotic cells, with a goal to understand bacterial drug resistance and identify new drug targets, using biochemical and high-resolution 3D cryo-EM techniques.

Nilesh Banavali, PhD

Structure-based Therapeutics for Infectious Diseases

We use NextGen sequencing to determine frequencies and sequence dependence of polymerase errors, and computational methods for drug design, structure prediction, and elucidating chemical and conformational mechanisms.

Sudha Chaturvedi, PhD

Director, Mycology Laboratory

We develop new technologies for fungal diagnostics and pathogenic mechanisms of Cryptococcus gattii and Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the etiologic agents of human cryptococcal meningitis and bat white nose syndrome, respectively.

Yu-Fen (Kathy) Chou, PhD

Director, External Systems Quality Unit, Newborn Screening Program

Newborn Screening Program: We develop data visualizations and reports for public health surveillance. We provide education and work collaboratively with external stakeholders to improve the overall quality of the newborn screening system in NYS.

Liang T. Chu, PhD

Environmental Heterogeneous Chemistry Laboratory

We investigate heterogeneous reactions occurring on ice, environmental particle and nanoparticle surfaces to better understand the atmospheric pollution processes and their impact on human health using spectroscopic techniques.

Alexander T. Ciota, PhD

Director, Arbovirus Laboratory

We study arbovirus adaptation and vector-virus interactions, focusing on West Nile virus and Culex mosquitoes. Areas of interest include mutant swarm dynamics, mechanisms of adaptation, microbial interactions and vectorial capacity.

Keith M. Derbyshire, PhD

Molecular Genetics of Mycobacteria

We study mycobacteria and use molecular genetic approaches to investigate: global gene expression, at both transcriptional and translational levels; the mechanism of distributive conjugal transfer; and synthetic genetic interactions.

Christina Egan, PhD

Chief, Biodefense and Mycology Laboratories

We focus on the development and validation of assays to detect pathogens and toxins associated with bioterrorism or food-borne disease. We utilize methods such as real-time PCR, whole genome sequencing, and mass spectrometry for rapid detection of agents.

Sherry A. Faye, PhD

Director, Nuclear Chemistry Laboratory

We focus on method development of radiochemical analyses for use in routine and emergency response scenarios.

Robert L. Glaser, PhD

Director, Division of Laboratory Operations

The Division of Laboratory Operations oversees the Wadsworth Center's operations at five facilities in the Albany area, totaling ~900,000 square feet of space and over 210 acres of real estate.

Todd Gray, PhD

Molecular Genetics of Mycobacteria

We use innovative molecular genomic approaches to address fundamental questions of mycobacterial biology. Our findings shed new light on the evolution and function of mycobacterial genomes, accelerating tuberculosis research.

Denise M. Kay, PhD

Director, Newborn Screening Program

We screen infants born in New York State for more than 50 conditions at birth and study the genetics of diseases affecting infants and children. 

Haider A. Khwaja, PhD

Environmental Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratory

We conduct multidisciplinary research to understand water and indoor and outdoor air pollution and their impact on human health.

Matthew J. Kohn, PhD

Director, Tissue Resources Program

The Tissue Resources Program oversees all tissue banking activities and services provided in New York State, from donor solicitation to clinical use.

Erica Lasek-Nesselquist, PhD

Bioinformatics and Statistics Core

My research focuses on clarifying the phylogenetic relationships among microbial organisms and understanding microbial genome evolution, including the contributions of horizontal gene transfer and endosymbioses to shaping genomes and accelerating adaptive evolution.

William T. Lee, PhD

Immunological Memory and Diagnostic Immunology

The goal of our research is to characterize the differences between antigenically naive (virgin) and memory T helper cells at the developmental, phenotypic and functional levels.

Susan Madison-Antenucci, PhD

Director, Parasitology Laboratory

My laboratory develops improved methods of detecting, identifying and characterizing parasites that infect humans, as well as investigating pathogenicity and sources of infection.

Nicholas J. Mantis, PhD

Chief, Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology

We study how serum and mucosal antibodies protect mammalian hosts from microbial pathogens and toxins. We are interested in next-generation vaccines and adjuvants to combat biothreat agents and enteric diseases.

Kathleen A. McDonough, PhD

Director, Division of Infectious Disease

We study gene regulation in the context of bacterial pathogenesis, with a focus on two pathogens: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB, and Yersinia pestis, the etiologic agent of bubonic and pneumonic plague.

Lisa Mingle, PhD

Bacteriology Laboratory

In the Bacteriology Laboratory, Dr. Mingle performs diagnostic reference testing, using both molecular and classical methods, for the detection of various pathogenic bacteria in New York State.