Lab Members

The research of Gianni Carraro, PhD, focuses on the study of lung progenitor cells in homeostatic conditions and external cues leading to disruption of normal phenotype and pathological conditions. Currently, he uses single-cell RNA-sequencing to define single-cell transcriptomes of the epithelium and mesenchyme in patients with cystic fibrosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He is also developing new methodologies for the differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells into lung progenitors that could potentially be used for cell-based therapy.

After completing his bachelor's degree at Nankai University, China, Changfu Yao, PhD, joined the Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology program at Iowa State University. His doctoral work in the laboratory of Jorgen Johansen, PhD, and Kristen Johansen, PhD, centered on spindle matrix regulation of spindle machinery assembly during mitosis, as well as, how histone modification regulates gene transcription initiation in Drosophila. In 2014, Yao began his postdoctoral training in the Stripp Laboratory at Cedars-Sinai focusing on epigenetic regulation of lung development and disease (including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer), in addition to, transcriptomic profiling (single cell) of these lung diseases.

Colin Koziol received his bachelor of science in microbiology/medical technology from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, where he conducted research on the molecular mechanisms governing the pathogenesis and virulence of coronaviruses. He proceeded to work in the Donald B. Kohn, MD, gene therapy laboratory at UCLA where he helped develop novel therapeutic lentiviral vectors for use in sickle cell disease. Koziol joined the PhD program at Cedars-Sinai in fall 2017 and will conduct his graduate training in the Stripp Laboratory studying lung development and disease.

Bindu Konda began working in the Stripp Lab in 2015 and has been at Cedars-Sinai since 2004. Her areas of focus include cell biology, human anatomy and microbiology.

Stephen Beil is an alumnus of the University of Southern California (USC) and previously worked in the Department of Pathology and the Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. In addition to managing all areas of the Stripp Lab, he provides technical expertise to multiple human and animal projects.