Northwell Health Cancer Institute at Rego Park a Program of LIJ

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

We focus on developing and improving diagnostic tools for rabies. Additional research programs focus on studying rabies in bats within the laboratory and in field environments.

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.

We focus on the targeted, ultra-trace measurement of emerging organic contaminants in New York State’s drinking water supplies through both regulated and research-based mass spectrometry methods.

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.

We are interested in the mechanisms underlying resistance of M. tuberculosis to major TB drugs and in the development and validation of molecular assays involving whole genome sequencing for rapid detection of drug resistant tuberculosis.

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

We study transcriptional reprogramming and regulatory networks in mycobacteria controlling resistance to genotoxic stress, hypoxia, nutrient starvation and exposure to antibiotics.

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.

We use a variety of techniques to develop and validate rapid methods for the detection of waterborne pathogens, or their indicators, prior to the outbreak of disease. 

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. 

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

My specific area of expertise within the Bioinformatics Core is bacterial genomics, evolution and phylogeny.

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.

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

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.