Living and Working in Philadelphia
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
2:40 - 3:25 PM
2:40 - 3:25 PM
Moderator
|
Valentina Parma, PhD
Assistant Director & Assistant Member Postdoc, Monell Chemical Senses Center; International School for Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy PhD, University of Padova, Italy Dr. Valentina Parma is a psychologist whose passion for the science of chemical senses began during her academic journey at the University of Padova, Italy, where she earned her BSc, MSc, and PhD. Just two days after completing her PhD, she embarked on a postdoctoral fellowship at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, where she now serves as faculty and administrator. Along the way, she has held positions in Italy, Portugal, and at Temple University in Philadelphia. Dr. Parma’s lab takes an interdisciplinary approach to studying smell and taste in large, diverse cohorts, linking chemosensory function to health outcomes and translating discoveries into practical applications. She is deeply committed to mentoring while embracing life in Philadelphia as an international scholar. |
Panelists
|
Alejandra V. Contreras, PhD
Associate Principal Scientist Postdoc, Fox Chase Cancer Center - Temple Health PhD, National Autonomous University of Mexico, School of Medicine Dr. Alejandra V. Contreras is a translational scientist with over 15 years of experience in the fields of genetics and genomics within the healthcare sector. Her career has been dedicated to enhancing the development of precision medicine and personalized therapies, with a focus on the identification and development of genomic biomarkers for drug development. Currently serving as an Associate Principal Scientist at Merck & Co., Dr. Contreras leads efforts in the Translational Molecular Biomarker-Genomics Laboratory to identify predictive biomarkers for oncology and immunology therapeutic areas. Before her tenure at Merck, her research at the Fox Chase Cancer Center was focused on the regulatory mechanisms that impacts lineage commitment and effector fate of gammadelta T cells using NGS analysis (ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq), gene expression of non-coding RNA, and CRISPR/dCas9 system. Her research has resulted in over 30 publications in peer-reviewed journals. Elena Irollo, PhD
Associate Director, Scientific Programs Postdoc, Jefferson University PhD, University of Erlangen, Germany PharmD and SpD, University of Naples Federico II, Italy Dr. Elena Irollo supports the development of AACR’s scientific and strategic initiatives, managing key aspects of the AACR Annual Meeting—the largest and most prestigious multidisciplinary cancer research meeting in the world—as well as other meetings and special programs. In 2017, she moved to Philadelphia to pursue a postdoctoral position at Thomas Jefferson University, where she investigated the role of the tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer to identify novel therapeutic targets for this aggressive disease. She later joined Drexel University as a Research Associate, where her research expanded to exploring the effects of chemokines and immune mediators in brain tumor formation and progression. Dr. Irollo was subsequently promoted to Research Assistant Professor and appointed Co-Director of the Translational Research and Core Expert Support (TRaCES) facility at Drexel. In this role, she advanced translational research by establishing innovative models to study cancer metastasis and brain inflammation and fostering collaboration between scientists and clinicians. Beyond her scientific contributions, Dr. Irollo is deeply involved in her local community, serving as the Chair of Social Media Communications for the nonprofit organization PI-Philly. Elham Javed, PhD
Postdoc, Thomas Jefferson University PhD (2014 - 2019), Thomas Jefferson University MS (2012 - 2014), Drexel University Dr. Elham Javed is an Indian citizen born and raised in Dubai, UAE. She came to the U.S. to pursue her graduate studies, first earning a M.S. in Molecular Medicine from Drexel University and then her Ph.D in Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine from Thomas Jefferson University (TJU). She is currently a fourth-year postdoc at the Center for Translational Medicine at TJU. Her research involves identifying novel pathways that will help improve the current therapeutic strategies for asthma. Specifically, her research investigates Protein Kinase-A anchoring proteins (AKAPs) as structural- and/or signaling- elements in human airway smooth muscle cells. She is the current Co-VP of Communications of the JPA and the Chair of International Task Force at the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA). Elham is passionate about advocating for the issues associated with international students and postdocs and believes in raising her peers. |
|
Priya Sivaramakrishnan, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, CHOP and UPenn Postdoc, Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania PhD, Bayor College of Medicine, Houston, TX Priya Sivaramakrishnan is a tenure-track assistant professor at the Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on developing and applying single-cell imaging and sequencing techniques to uncover the mechanisms of embryonic cell fate specification, using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system. By leveraging the strengths of model organisms, her lab aims to illuminate the gene regulatory principles underlying cell fate programming, with the ultimate goal of advancing our understanding of human disease. She recently received a New Investigator Award from the Pittsburgh Foundation to support her research. Priya is also a strong advocate for equity in science and is deeply committed to fostering supportive networks for women and underrepresented groups in academia. She served as Co-President of the Penn Postdoctoral Association for two years and was a leader in the Penn Genetics Gender Equity Group, working in both roles to advocate for and improve training environments across campus. |
|
Mohsen Tabasi, PhD
Microbiology/Molecular Coordinator, Philadelphia Department of Public Health Postdoc, Temple University PhD, Pasteur Institute of Iran Dr. Mohsen Tabasi earned his PhD in Clinical Bacteriology from the Pasteur Institute of Iran in 2020. During his doctoral studies, he conducted extensive research on host-pathogen interactions and explored the modulation of gut microbiota in morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. In 2022, Dr. Tabasi began a postdoctoral fellowship at the Center for Inflammation and Lung Research at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University. There, he focused on the antibiofilm efficacy of S-Nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) in combination with antibiotics against bacteria commonly isolated from cystic fibrosis patients. He also investigated potential treatments to reduce lung inflammation in preclinical models of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In 2024, Dr. Tabasi joined the Philadelphia Department of Public Health as a Microbiology/Molecular Coordinator. His choice to settle in Philadelphia was driven by the city’s prestigious universities and medical institutions, offering exceptional opportunities for education and healthcare. Dr. Tabasi’s work exemplifies his commitment to advancing microbiological research and public health initiatives. |
