Mara Sherman, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology
Email Dr. Sherman
CV

Jaime Abrego, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow

Education: Ph.D., 2017, cancer research, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, B.S., 2012, biology, Georgia Southwestern College, Americus, Georgia

Jaime was born in Mexico and grew up in Conyers, Georgia. He joined the University of Nebraska Medical Center to pursue his Ph.D. in cancer research at the Eppley Institute for Cancer Research where he joined the laboratory of Dr. Pankaj Singh. For his thesis, Jaime studied metabolic reprogramming of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells caused by the acidic pH of the tumor microenvironment. While in the Sherman Lab, Jaime's research will focus on studying cancer-associated fibroblast, in order to understand how these stromal mechanisms promote carcinogenesis of pancreatic cancer. In his free time Jaime enjoys exploring Portland, hiking with his dog, music shows and running.     

Frank Arnold, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow

Education: Ph.D., 2021, Molecular medicine with a focus on cancer biology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany; M.Sc., 2017, Biotechnology/Bioengineering, University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, Germany; B.Sc., 2015, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Biberach, Biberach a.d.R., Germany

Frank was born and raised in Neu-Ulm, Germany. In 2017, he joined the International Graduate School in Molecular Medicine (IGradU) and the Research Training Group Heterogeneity and Evolution in Solid Tumours (HEIST) at the University of Ulm to pursue a Ph.D. in cancer biology in the Kleger Lab. In his thesis, he outlined the role of DKK3 and RINT1 in pancreatic regeneration and pancreatic cancer, respectively. In the Sherman Lab, Frank will utilize a multidisciplinary approach to dissect stromal evolutionary routes in primary versus metastatic microenvironments of PDAC and what impact these have on the tumor’s clonal heterogeneity. In his free time, he likes to explore Portland, particularly trying all different kinds of food.

Mark Berry, B.S.
Research Assistant
Lab Manager

Education: B.S., 1995, genetics and cell biology, minor in microbiology, Washington State University

Mark worked for almost 5 years at a bio-production company. He then worked 15 years at the University of Washington in the Department of Pathobiology. That lab was looking at C. pneumoniae and its association with heart disease, primarily doing mouse model experiments. In the Sherman Lab, Mark is working on the gene expression mechanisms in the pancreatic tumor microenvironment. Mark's hobbies include mountain biking, camping, fishing and archery.

Sohinee Bhattacharyya, Ph.D.
Assistant Staff Scientist

Education: Ph.D., 2015, pathology and microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, M.S., 2008, microbiology, University of Calcutta, India, B.S., 2006, microbiology, University of Calcutta, India

Sohinee was born and raised in Kolkata, India. She joined the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2009 to pursue her Ph.D. in pathology and microbiology. For her Ph.D. thesis, she investigated the novel role of the endocytic recycling protein EHD1 in mouse early embryonic morphogenesis under the guidance of Dr. Hamid Band. After completing her Ph.D., she joined the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine as a postdoctoral fellow. Here, under the guidance of Dr. Ora Weisz, she investigated the cellular signaling pathways that regulate apical endocytosis in proximal tubule cells in response to fluid shear stress. While in the Sherman Lab, Sohinee will utilize a multidisciplinary approach to understand the gene-regulatory interaction networks that exist between pancreatic tumor and stroma. In her free time, Sohinee enjoys reading, listening to music, fishing and cooking. 

Luis Francisco Diaz
Graduate Student

Education: B.A., 2015, molecular biology, Pomona College, Claremont, CA

Luis Francisco was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. He graduated from Pomona College with a B.A. in molecular biology under the tutelage of Dr. Cristina Negritto where he studied double-strand break repair in S. cerevisiae. After graduating from Pomona College, he spent one year in LA BioMed/Harbor-UCLA Medical Center investigating the role of antimicrobial peptides on infective microbial organisms. In 2016 he moved to Bethesda, Maryland and spent the next three years at the NIH in the Ann Dean Lab studying the role of long-noncoding RNA and long-range enhancer-gene interactions in erythroid progenitor cells. In 2019, he moved to Portland, OR to start the MD/PhD program at OHSU. In his free time, he plays soccer and spends time with his friends and family.

M. Kathrina Onate
Graduate Student

Education: B.S., 2015, genetics and genomics, with a minor in English, University of California, Davis

Kathrina was born in Manila, Philippines. She moved to Chicago, Illinois with her family in December 2000. She later moved to the Northern California Bay Area in in June 2004. At UC Davis she worked for three years as an undergraduate researcher in the Langley Lab, studying Drosophila population genetics. She returned to the Bay Area to work as an Associate Data Wrangler for the ENCODE Data Coordinating Center in the Cherry Lab at Stanford University. During her free time, Kathrina likes to explore Portland's hiking trails and restaurants, read all kinds of genres, grow her CD and vinyl collection and play instruments.

Chet Oon, M.S.
Research Assistant

Education: M.S., 2016, biology, University of California, San Diego, California, B.S., biochemistry and cell biology, University of California, San Diego, California

Chet was born and raised in Malaysia. She graduated from the University of California San Diego with a B.S. in biochemistry and cell biology. She received her M.S. in biology from University of California San Diego, where she studied the role of ABL tyrosine kinase in triggering apoptosis through the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. In Sherman Lab, she studies the role of lipid metabolism in pancreatic cancer progression and provides general lab maintenance. Her new found hobbies in Portland are food tasting and acrylic painting.

Ariana Sattler
Graduate Student

Education: B.S., 2018, biology-biomedicine emphasis, with a minor in chemistry, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, Oregon.

Ariana was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, and moved to Oregon to attend Southern Oregon University. In 2018, she received the ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship to study prion protein misfolding associated neurodegeneration in the Aguzzi Lab of the University of Zürich Hospital, Institute of Neuropathology. 2019 through late 2020, she studied lung cancer circulating hybrid cells and novel associated biomarkers, as a research assistant in the Wong Lab at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. Currently, she is an integrated cancer biology graduate student in the Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (PBMS) at the OHSU School of Medicine.