Maria Lehn, BS

Senior Research Assistant| Lab Manager

Maria completed her Bachelor's degree in dietetics at Ohio University in 2009, where she worked in Dr. Robert Brannan’s lab studying beta-lactoglobulin and its effectiveness in blocking oil absorption in fried foods. Maria then came to UC to work in the lab of Dr. Maria Diaz-Meco and Dr. Jorge Moscat, where she worked as a research assistant. In late 2010, Maria then went on to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to work in Dr. Edith Janssen’s lab in the department of Immunobiology. Maria helped to optimize, run, and analyze flow cytometry panels. She worked with both human tissues and mouse models for lupus, cancer, diabetes, and aging. Maria joined HEAL as a lab manager at the beginning of 2020. She enjoys being a helpful resource to her lab mates and embraces the exciting challenges that come with research.

Margaret Nelson, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Nelson earned her Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from East Carolina University in 2019, in the lab of Dr. Ethan Anderson. Her doctoral research focused on the oxidative byproducts of monoamine oxidase and their impact on mitochondrial bioenergetics in cardiomyocytes derived from patients with Type II Diabetes. Following her Ph.D., she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the lab of Dr. Kelsey Fisher-Wellman, where she investigated mitochondrial phenotypes in acute myeloid leukemia. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the joint lab of Drs. Wise-Draper and ElGamal, where her work centers on enhancing natural killer (NK) cell activity in head and neck cancer, with a particular focus on the CXCL1/CXCR2 signaling pathway.

Nazila Godfrey, MSc, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Godfrey began her scientific journey with a B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering, where she was first introduced to population genetics through the lens of plant breeding and adaptation. This early exposure sparked a lasting interest in the relationship between environmental pressures and genomic variation. Nazila went on to earn an M.Sc. in Biotechnology, during which she conducted research to identify genetic barcodes associated with powdery mildew resistance in grapes. This work introduced her to molecular biology techniques and bioinformatics, laying the foundation for her transition into genomics. In 2023, Dr. Godfrey earned her Ph.D. in Genomics and Bioinformatics from Miami University, where her doctoral research focused on the genomic basis of thermal adaptation in Phrynosoma platyrhinos. As part of her dissertation, she assembled and annotated the species’ genome—now publicly available ( GCA_020142125.1)—and analyzed allele frequency shifts in response to environmental temperature gradients. Currently, Dr. Godfrey is a postdoctoral fellow under the dual mentorship of Drs. Wise-Draper and ElGamal, where she applies her expertise in molecular biology, genomics, and computational analysis to investigate the genomic mechanisms underlying head and neck cancer progression and therapy resistance. Her long-term goal is to contribute to the development of targeted therapies and personalized treatment strategies.

Donatien Kamdem Toukam, PhD

Research Associate

Dr. Kamdem earned his PhD in Molecular Biosciences in 2011 from the University of Bochum under the mentorship of Prof. Dr. Klaus Überla, where he focused on designing vaccine scaffolds to elicit neutralizing immune responses against HIV. He began his postdoctoral training in Dr. John Morris’s lab at the University of Cincinnati, advancing immunotherapeutic strategies and exploring curative vaccines for lung cancer based on cancer stem cell theory. He later joined Dr. Sengupta’s lab, where he investigated the anti-cancer potential of repurposed benzodiazepine derivatives targeting lung, skin, and brain tumors. Currently, Kamdem is a research associate in the joint lab of Drs. Wise-Draper and ElGamal, where he studies the role of B7H3 signaling in the pathogenesis of head and neck cancers and its influence on therapeutic response and resistance.

Ashley Karns, BSc

Research Assistant

Ashley earned a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from Indiana University in 2021, where she conducted research on the carbamate insecticide methomyl and its role in generating reactive oxygen species in Drosophila melanogaster. From 2022 to 2024, she worked in Dr. Punam Malik’s lab at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, focusing on the intersection of sickle cell disease and fertility. Ashley joined HEAL in 2024 as a research assistant, where she continues to build her expertise. Ashley plans to pursue graduate studies for a future career in pathology.

Sam Nusbaum

Graduate Student

Sam received two Bachelor of Science degrees from the Ohio State University in 2021, one in biology and one in microbiology. While an undergraduate student, she worked with Dr. Wu in a molecular genetics lab. She is currently a PhD student in the Pathobiology and Molecular Medicine program at the University of Cincinnati. Currently, her research focuses on elucidating the role of IL9 in head and neck cancer parthenogenesis.

Shreya Shyamsunder

Graduate Student

Shreya earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in biotechnology from the University of Mumbai and St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, respectively. During her Master’s, she engaged in several computational biology projects and completed a year-long research internship at the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital, focusing on the clinical diagnosis of acute leukemia. She joined Dr. Vinita Takiar’s lab as a Master’s rotation student in the Cancer and Cell Biology program and transitioned into the PhD program in July 2023. In January 2024, she officially joined Dr. Takiar’s lab to pursue her doctoral studies. Shreya’s research focuses on improving the response of HPV-negative HNSCC to radiation therapy. Her work includes investigating the dual inhibition of Polo-like Kinase 1 and Androgen Receptor signaling in salivary duct carcinoma, as well as exploring the radio-sensitizing potential of valproic acid in HPV-negative HNSCC. Shreya is committed to translational cancer research aimed at improving cancer patient outcomes. 

Reilly Flora

Medical Student

Reilly is currently a medical student at the University of Cincinnati, set to graduate in 2028. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from The Ohio State University in 2023, where she developed a strong interest in immunology and cancer biology. Reilly is participating in the Medical Student Summer Research Program (MSSRP) at UC, where she is working on a project that characterizes primary keratinocyte cell lines derived from head and neck cancer patients to evaluate tumorigenicity and response to immunotherapy. She aspires to pursue a career in pediatric hematology oncology.

Sushruth Muthuluru

Undergraduate student

Sushruth, a senior in the Medical Sciences program and a Cincinnatus Presidential Scholar at the University of Cincinnati, is set to graduate in the Spring of 2026. Sushruth joined the lab in 2022 as an undergraduate researcher and was awarded a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) in 2025. Since joining HEAL, Sushruth has pursued his interest in cancer immunology and radiation therapy, aiming to contribute to real-world solutions for patients with head and neck cancer. His current research investigates the radiosensitivity of proton versus conventional photon therapy in murine oral carcinoma cells. Through this work, he aims to contribute to translational solutions that improve patient outcomes. Looking ahead, Sushruth aspires to continue this path in medical school and ultimately become a Physician-Scientist.

Julia McGowan

Undergraduate student

Julia is an undergraduate student at The Ohio State University, majoring in Biochemistry and Medical Humanities, with an expected graduation in 2018. She joined the lab as a volunteer in the Summer of 2025. Passionate about hematology-oncology research, Julia aspires to pursue both an MD and a PhD in cancer biology.