OHSU

People

Principal Investigator

Mitalipov

Shoukhrat Mitalipov, PhD

I am a Senior Scientist in the Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences and a co-director of the ART/ESC core at the Oregon National Primate Research Center. I am also an Associate Professor at the Oregon Stem Cell Center and Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Molecular & Medical Genetics. I earned my Ph.D. degree in Developmental & Stem Cell Biology at the Research Center for Medical Genetics, Moscow, Russia. I came to Utah State University in 1995 to conduct postdoctoral research training. I am the recipient of the 2010 Discovery Award from the Medical Research Foundation of Oregon.


Research Associates

Tachibana

Masahito Tachibana, MD, PhD

I received my MD degree in OB/GYN MD and PhD from Tohoku University D. Med. Sci in 2006. I joined Shoukhrat's lab as a postdoctoral fellow in 2008. Since 2009, I am working as a senior research associate. My research goals are to elucidate epigenetic mechanisms responsible for oocyte based nuclear reprogramming after nuclear transfer. I am also interested in developing of germline gene therapy concepts. Recently, our lab has initiated the human embryo and stem cell research program at OHSU that would allow translating our valuable expertise gained in a monkey model to humans. I am very excited about this perfect opportunity for translational research.


Sparman

 Michelle Sparman, MS

I received my B.S. degree in Animal Sciences from Washington State University (2001) and a M.S. degree at Purdue University (2003) in the laboratory of Dr. Rebecca Krisher.My graduate research focused on examining mitochondrial distribution and activity in porcine oocytes, and how these parameters were affected by ionic components in the culture environment.After completing my graduate education, I started my research career at the Oregon National Primate Research Center in the fall of 2003.Over 7 years later, I continue to work as an embryologist in the laboratory of Dr. Shoukhrat Mitalipov, as a Research Associate, and am interested in oocyte-based nuclear reprogramming and mitochondrial gene replacement therapy in the non-human primate and human models.


Ma

Hong Ma, MD, PhD

I received my MD from Xi'An Medical University in China and PhD in Molecular Biology from Kyoto University in Japan where I studied the molecular mechanisms of the protease function and protease regulation by inhibitors in tissues and cells. I worked in at School of Dentistry in OHSU for 13 years before joining the Mitalipov lab in 2008. I am a Senior Research Associate and responsible for management of the stem cell and molecular biology lab. My research project is focused on mitochondrial gene replacement and stem cell therapies for mitochondrial diseases.


Postdoctoral Fellows

Kang

Eunju Kang, DVM, PhD

I received my graduate degree from Gyeongsang National University, Korea in 2010 where I studied reprogramming by SCNT. I came to the Mitalipov lab in June 2010. My projects here are focused on the role of mitochondrial genome during development and aging.


Fulati, Alim

Alim Fulati, PhD

I received my PhD degree in Nanotechnology from Linköping University, Sweden in 2010, where I studied Nano-materials and their applications in Nano-biophysics and Nano-electronics. Due to my great interest in stem cell research and its potential in regenerative medicine, I have shifted my research focus on stem cell and joined Dr. Mitalipov's lab in 2012. My research projects are focused on the Mitochondrial gene replacement and stem cell therapies of Mitochondrial DNA diseases.  


Sugawara

Atsushi Sugawara, PhD

I received my PhD degree in 2009 from Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan. My graduate studies were focused on identification of maternal oocyte factors affecting reprogramming following somatic cell nuclear transfer. During my post-doctoral training at University of Hawaii, I investigated novel approaches for genetic modifications of mouse embryos and genetic origin of infertility. I joined the Mitalipov lab in 2013. My current research projects are focused on genetics and intergenerational inheritance of the mitochondrial genome .


Graduate Student

Daughtry

Brittany Daughtry, PhD candidate

In 2009 I received my BS in Pre-Medical Biology and Chemistry at the University of South Carolina Upstate. As an undergraduate I conducted plant taxonomy research for the Spartanburg Area Conservancy and USC Upstate Herbarium. Shortly after I completed my degree I joined the Yanping Zhang lab at UNC Chapel Hill as a research assistant and participated in projects that focused on energy metabolism and the p53-Mdm2 pathway. I was attracted to the PhD program at OHSU after learning about the Mitalipov lab's embryology and mitochondrial gene therapy research. In 2012, I joined the Mitalipov lab and my projects will focus on cellular reprogramming, oocyte aging, and mitochondria genetics in the mouse.


The Indispensable Crew

Ahmed

Riffat Ahmed

I received my B.S. degree in Micro/Molecular Biology from Portland State University (2008) and an A.A.S. degree from Portland Community College (2003) at in Biotechnology. As an undergraduate, I conducted primitive hematopoiesis research in Developmental Biology at OHSU. After graduation, I joined the An-Sheng Zhang/Caroline Enns lab at OHSU as a research assistant and participated in projects that focused on protein mutation and trafficking in iron overload disease Juvenile hemochromatosis. I started in the Mitalipov lab in 2012 and work in both the stem cell facility and molecular biology. I love developmental biology and am interested in stem cell therapy.


Li

Ying Li

I received my BS from Shanghai Medical University in China and obtained my MS from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. I worked as a research assistant at the Vollum Institute at OHSU for two years before I joined the Mitalipov lab as a research assistant in 2008.


Marti-Gutierrez

Nuria Marti-Gutierrez

I received my Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Valencia in 2003 and my Master's degree in Clinical Biology and Experimental Reproduction from the University of Alicante in 2004, working one year in La Fe Hospital in the Human Reproduction Department. I started working on my PhD degree in the Principe Felipe Research Center in the laboratory of Professor Stojkovic in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and continued my research, working on the generation of transgenic animals by lentiviral vector or plasmid microinjection, in the laboratory of Dr. Diez.  I joined Dr. Mitalipov's lab in February 2012 as a Research Associate. I am interested in mitochondria genetics and reprogramming by somatic cell nuclear transfer in the human and nonhuman primate models.


Hedges

Rebecca Tippner-Hedges

I received my Bachelor's degree in Biology and Chemistry and my Master's degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Oregon State University.  I have worked at OSU in plant genomics, the U of O in monoclonal antibody production, at the Department of Agriculture in plant virology, and at a private biotech company in clinical microbiology.  I started in the Mitalipov lab in 2011 as a Research Assistant 2 and work in both the cell culture facility and assist with molecular biology.


Van Dyken

Crystal Van Dyken

I received my B.S. in biology from the University of Idaho in 2009. I previously worked as a research technician in the Pharmacology Department at Washington State University. I joined the Mitalipov lab as a Research Assistant 2 in 2013. 


Hiromura

Jennifer Hiromura

I joined the Mitalipov lab and Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences at ONPRC in 2010. I graduated from Oregon State University with a B.S. in Human Development and Family Sciences. My previous positions include working for the OHSU Research Integrity Office and Oregon Department of Human Services.