Lab Members

Carol Jiurong Liang, MD, MBA, received her MD in China and her MBA from Quinnipiac University. She is working on aging and lung progenitor cells in lung fibrosis. Her accomplishments include identification of the role of CD44 in acute lung injury, the role of hyaluronan in asthma and the identification of macrophage subpopulations during lung injury. Her current focus is on identifying mechanisms by which aging and metabolism regulate lung progenitor cell renewal following lung injury.

Ting Xie, PhD, is a project scientist and instructor working on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of lung injury and fibrosis, mesenchymal subpopulation and transcription regulation, mesenchymal cell interaction with other cell types, as well as epigenetic regulation in lung injury and repair. Techniques used in her studies include single-cell RNA-seq analyses, lineage tracing, extracellular vesicles, multi-parameter FACS and mass spectrometry.

Stanley Ningshan Liu, BMed, is a research associate IV and the lab manager. He cares for animals in the lab and performs in vivo experiments, including mouse lung injury models. Researches, develops and implements new laboratory procedures and protocols. Participates in project planning, troubleshooting and execution of clinical/research projects. Monitors and ensures compliance with safety standards and procedures. 

Vrishika Kulur, MS, works on transcriptional control of fibroblast activation and performs in vivo experiments, including mouse lung injury models.

Forough Tagharifar, MS, works on acquisition of human samples of pulmonary fibrosis, isolation of fibroblasts and characterization of fibroblast heterogeneity.

Guanling Huang, PhD, postdoctoral scientist, is working on several projects including epithelial cells and fibroblast crosstalk, Wnt signaling, GPCR signaling and clock gene signaling in lung fibrosis with cutting- edge technologies, including single-cell RNA transcriptomics and genetically modified mice.

Xue Liu, PhD, postdoctoral scientist, is working on the invasive lung fibroblasts driving pulmonary fibrosis and lung fibroblast heterogeneity in murine and human lungs during development, and diseases with single-cell RNA transcriptomics and fibroblast subtype-specific lineage tracing mouse lines.

Ankita Burman, PhD, postdoctoral scientist, is working on the role of alveolar epithelial cell death in lung fibrosis using patient samples, cell lines and mouse models.

Heather Lynn, PhD, postdoctoral scientist, is working on epigenomic regulation in mouse injury models of IPF. Her specific interest is in gene and pathway regulation via methylation and chromatin enhancers.

Kristy is working on the invasive lung fibroblasts driving pulmonary fibrosis and lung fibroblast heterogeneity in murine and human lungs during development, and diseases with single-cell RNA transcriptomics and fibroblast subtype-specific lineage tracing mouse lines.

Grace is working on projects including epithelial cells and fibroblast crosstalk, Wnt signaling, GPCR signaling, and clock gene signaling in lung fibrosis with single-cell RNA transcriptomics and genetically modified mice.