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Lab Leader
Marvin and Betty Danto Research Professor of Connective Tissue Research
Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Associate Director, Lupus Program
Lab Manager
Srilakshmi (Sri) Yalavarthi, MS
Sri Yalavarthi, MS has worked at the University of Michigan for over 18 years and joined Dr. Knight’s lab in 2013. Apart from general lab maintenance, Sri's current work primarily focuses on the role of anti-NET antibodies as potential biomarkers for disease severity in auto immune diseases such as APS. She is also interested in investigating any potential connection between anti-NET antibodies and disease progression in COVID-19 patients. Outside the lab, Sri enjoys gardening and wishes that Michigan would have long summers. She also loves to travel to new places with her family and try out new cuisines. Lab Member Spotlight - Meet Sri Yalavarthi
Faculty
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Lab Member Spotlight - Meet Dr. Ray Zuo
APS Program Manager
Cyrus Sarosh, a clinical research project manager, joined the team in 2021. Cyrus works on the Regulatory and Compliance aspects of the Human Research Projects, and helps oversee the research occurring in the Knight Lab. Cyrus has been working at Michigan Medicine since 2011, specializing in research. He received his bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan and his Master of Science in Administration with a focus on Health Services Administration from Central Michigan University. In his free time, Cyrus enjoys playing baseball and spending time with his family.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Dr. Ramadan Ali completed his bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Toledo, Ohio where he also received his PhD degree in Medicinal Chemistry. He joined the Michigan Medicine Division of Rheumatology in 2017 as a postdoctoral fellow. Dr. Ali's research focuses on adenosine receptors as potential therapeutic targets in APS. He is also interested in natural medicine, specifically the anti-inflammatory effects of ginger-derived compounds in the context of lupus, APS, and other inflammatory diseases. In his off-time, Dr. Ali loves to spend quality time with his family. Learn more about Dr. Ali’s research.
Dr. Wenying Liang, a research laboratory specialist who joined the Knight Lab in 2021, is interested in vascular diseases and is currently working on the vascular complications of APS. Dr. Liang was in the Michigan Medicine-Peking University Health Science Center (PKUHSC) MD-PhD program, and received her medical degree from PKUHSC in 2015 and PhD degree from Michigan Medicine in 2021. Her career goal is to be a physician-scientist. In her free time, Dr. Liang volunteers to prepare health education materials for underserved populations. She enjoys outdoor activities with family and friends, especially exploring new running routes.
Dr. Chao Liu is a postdoctoral research fellow who joined the team in 2020. Dr. Liu works primarily on the study of renin-angiotensin system regulation on neutrophils, as well as a number of other studies involving diabetes and COVID-19. He is a 2015 graduate of Nanjing Medical University with a PhD degree in cardiovascular pharmacology. In his free time, Dr. Liu enjoys exercise and traveling.
Dr. Jacqueline Madison, a clinical fellow in Adult and Pediatric Rheumatology, joined the research team in 2019. Dr. Madison is interested in the study of APS, with a particular interest in pediatric APS. She contributes to the study of thrombosis and antiphospholipid antibodies in COVID-19 patients. Dr. Madison graduated from Yale University with bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Anthropology, and received her MD degree and completed a combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics residency from the University of Michigan. In her free time, Dr. Madison enjoys exploring the outdoors, running, and spending time with her family and mischievous labradoodle. Lab Member Spotlight - Meet Dr. Jacqueline Madison
Dr. Gautam Sule's research interests involve cells and factors that regulate the immune system, and their implications for inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. He received his PhD degree from Baylor College of Medicine and completed a fellowship at the NIH before joining the Knight Lab in 2016. Dr. Sule employs both human and mouse systems to investigate the role of innate immune cells in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders, with a specific interest in understanding the impact of stress response in the basic function of neutrophils and how it influences neutrophil behavior in the context of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and APS. Lab Member Spotlight - Meet Dr. Gautam Sule
Dr. Ajay Tambralli is a clinical research fellow studying metabolism in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) in Dr. Knight's lab and is a third-year fellow in Adult and Pediatric Rheumatology. Dr. Tambralli received his medical degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama and completed his residency at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York.
Research Staff
Alyssa Harbaugh is a study coordinator and research laboratory technician who joined the team in January of 2020. Alyssa works primarily on the neutrophil metabolism project with Dr. Ajay Tambralli, as well as managing the lab's healthy control blood donations. She graduated from the University of Michigan in Spring 2021 with a BS in Biomolecular Science and minors in creative writing and music. In her free time, Alyssa directs Heal-Move-Shift, a nonprofit which she helped found in 2018. She is also an avid singer, artist, and novelist.
Claire Hoy is a study coordinator and research laboratory technician who joined the team in 2020. Claire works primarily on the ANSWERS (ANtiphospholipid Syndrome - Working to Establish Real Solutions) study, as well as a number of other studies involving APS and the COVID-19 virus. She is a 2020 graduate of Denison University in Granville, Ohio, with a bachelor’s degree in biology and minor in studio art. In her free time, Claire likes painting, thrifting, reading, watching movies and shows, and spending time with her friends, family, and cat, Delilah.
Lab Member Spotlight - Meet Claire Hoy
Sherwin Navaz is a research technician associate who joined the Knight Lab in 2021. His research interests include Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs), Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS), as well as blood clotting mechanisms in COVID-19. Sherwin graduated from the University of Michigan in the winter of 2020 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Cellular & Molecular Biology and a Minor in Music. He aims to attend medical school in pursuit of becoming a physician-scientist. In his free time, Sherwin enjoys playing the piano, reading about music history, and writing music. When not in the lab or at the piano, he also enjoys fitness training and tennis.
Christine Rysenga is a research laboratory specialist who joined the Knight Lab in December of 2020. Currently, Christine is focused on investigating the pathophysiology of thrombotic and obstetric complications associated with APS and COVID-19. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Evolutionary Anthropology. Outside of the lab, Christine enjoys gardening, painting, boxing, and taking hiking trips with her friends.
Undergraduate Students
Izza Ahmed-Ghani
iahmedgh@med.umich.edu
Nikoo Alizadeh
nikoo@med.umich.edu
Lyndsay Kluge
lyndsayk@med.umich.edu
Corinne Packel
cpackel@med.umich.edu
Noah Peters
nope@med.umich.edu
Kaitlyn Sabb
ksabb@med.umich.edu
Miela Zahavi
mzahavi@med.umich.edu
