To carry out the research performed in the Molecular Development of the Immune System Section (MDISS), our team of dedicated scientific and clinical staff study patients using our combined expertise in genetics/genomics, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, and immunology.
Helen C. Su, M.D., Ph.D.
Chief, Human Immunological Diseases Section
Director, NIAID Clinical Genomics Program
Acting Chief, Molecular Development of the Immune System Section
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Specialty(s): Allergy and Immunology, Pediatrics Provides direct clinical care to patients at NIH Clinical Center
Education:
M.D., Ph.D., Brown University
Jing Cui, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., Developmental Biology, Fudan University, China
Languages Spoken: Chinese

Sarah Weber, Ph.D.
Project Manager
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Chen Xiang, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Languages Spoken: Chinese

Lixin Zheng, M.D.
Staff Scientist
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
M.D., The Third Military Medical University, China
Languages Spoken: Chinese

Maria Zhu, B.A.
Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.A., Biological Chemistry and Classics, Grinnell College
Languages Spoken: Mandarin

Former Research Group Members
This list only is comprised of former members since 2020.
Ping Jiang, B.S., Biologist. On detail in NIAID.
Carol Trageser, Lab Manager. Retired.
Ann Yong-jin Park, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow. Staff Fellow at the FDA.
Leilei Xu, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow. Transferred to the NIAID Signaling Systems Section.
Elif Everest, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow. Transferred to the NINDS Translational Neuroradiology Section.
Heather Moorman, M.S.P.H., B.S.N., R.N., C.C.R.P., Clinical Research Nurse. Transferred to the NIAID Fungal Pathogenesis Section.
Rachel Palmer, B.S., Postbaccalaureate Fellow. Enrolled into M.D./Ph.D. program at University of Pennsylvania.
Justin Gabrielski, B.S., Postbaccalaureate Fellow. Enrolled into Ph.D. program at University of Pennsylvania.
Abdul Habib Franca Omar, B.S., Postbaccalaureate Fellow. Enrolled into M.D. program at University of Missouri.
Alison Pagalilauan, M.S., Laboratory Technician. Enrolled into Ph.D. program at Emory University.
Alex Waldman, B.S., Graduate Student in NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. Returned to Emory University to complete M.D.
Simone Gottlieb, B.A., Postbaccalaureate Fellow. Enrolled into M.D. program at Northwestern University.
Runa Cheng, B.S., Postbaccalaureate Fellow. Enrolled into M.D./Ph.D. program at University of California, San Francisco.
Yikun Yao, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow. Professor & Principal Investigator at Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai.
Helen Matthews, R.N., Clinical Research Nurse. Retired.
Satoshi Kubo, M.D., Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow. Associate Professor & Principal Investigator at University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
Matthew Lynberg, B.S., Postbaccalaureate Fellow. Enrolled into M.D. program at Georgetown University.
Rhea Kataria, B.S., Postbaccalaureate Fellow. Enrolled into M.D./Ph.D. program at University of Chicago and NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program.
Zinan Zhang, A.B., Graduate Student in NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. Returned to Harvard University to complete M.D.
Jessica Phan, B.A., Postbaccalaureate Fellow. Enrolled into M.D./Ph.D. program at Harvard University and NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program.
Samantha Shafer, B.S., Postbaccalaureate Fellow. Enrolled into M.D./Ph.D. program at Emory University and NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program.
Juan Ravell, M.D., Staff Clinician. Physician at Hackensack University Medical Center at Hackensack Meridian Health.
Sarah Cook, B.S., Postbaccalaureate Fellow. Enrolled into M.D. program at Vanderbilt University.
Samuel Chauvin, B.S., Postbaccalaureate Fellow. Enrolled into M.D./Ph.D. program at University of Pennsylvania.