Meet the Team
We are interested in exploring the metabolic biology of cellular fuel usage and fuel flexibility in normal physiology and disease. We believe in a collaborative problem solving approach in scientific research.
Nika N. Danial, PhD
Principal Investigator
Dr. Nika Danial is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Department of Cancer Biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Associate Professor of Molecular Metabolism at the
Harvard School of Public Health. She received an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from
Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular and Biophysical Studies from Columbia University.
Her postdoctoral studies in the laboratory of Stanley J. Korsmeyer at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
focused on the role of BCL-2 family proteins in mitochondrial apoptosis, where she discovered
a molecular link between cell survival/death regulatory pathways and metabolism.
Dr. Danial has been on the faculty of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School
since 2005. She also serves as Co-Director of the NCI-funded T32 Training Program in
Cancer Chemical Biology and Metabolism at Dana-Farber.
Ines Leila Paraiso, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Magdalena (Magda) Bachmann, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow
Sehyun (Sean) Oh, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Pruthvi Gowda, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Rishov Goswami, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
John-Paul Haley-Read
Lab Technician
Emma Stirling
Harvard Undergraduate Student
Caroline Hanson
Graduate Student
Harvard University
Chemical Biology Program
We are currently seeking talented postdocs and students
interested in molecular metabolism to join our lab.
Send your CV and Cover Letter to Nika Danial
Lab Alumni
Erika Portero, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow
2020-2023
Current Position: Analytical Senior Scientist, Chemours,
Wilmington, DE
Accalia Fu, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow
2014-2022
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School Diabetes Center of Excellence and Investigator at the JDRF Center of Excellence in New England, Worcester, MA
Dong Wook Choi, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow
2016-2021
Current Position: Associate Professor, Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
Janine Comrie
Student in the Harvard GSAS' Research Scholar Initiative
(post-baccalaureate)
Program 2019-2020
Current Position: PhD Student, Nutrition Sciences at Cornell University, NY
Maria Del Carmen Fernandez-Aguera Rodriguez, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
2015-2020
Current Position: Scientific Editor
at Cell Metabolism
Pei-Hsuan Chen, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow
2016-2018
Current Position: Research Scientist,
Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Boston, MA
Elizabeth Lane, PhD
Graduate Student
2012-2018
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Perrimon Lab, Harvard Medical School
Sofia Ribeiro Carlton PhD
Graduate Student
2011-2017
Current Position: Senior Manger, Business Development & Strategy
Dyno Therapeutics,
Watertown, MA
Ana Lako
Senior Lab Technician
2014-2016
Current Position: Senior Principal Scientist, Bristol Myeers Squibb,
Cambridge, MA
Luisa Garcia-Haro, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow
2012-2015
Current Position: Senior Teaching Fellow in Medical Biosciences at Imperial College London,
London, UK
Illana Stanley, PhD
Graduate Student
2011-2014
Current Position: Software Engineer, SignalPath, Raleigh, NC
Alfredo Gimenez-Cassina, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow
2007-2013
Current Position: Scientific Editor
at Nature Metabolism
Benjamin Szlyk
Lab Technician
2007-2013
Current Position: Scientist, BioTx Design and Discovery at Pfizer
Erik Norberg, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow
2011-2013
Current Position: Associate Professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
Sanda Ljubicic, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow
2011-2013
Current Position: Study Design Lead in Clinical Research,
Labcorp Drug Development,
Geneva, Switzerland
Klaudia Polak, DVM
Lab Technician
2010-2012
Current Position: Clinical Pathology Resident at Colorado State University
Pilar Caro, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow
2009-2011
Current Position: Research Associate, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
Jessica Wiwczar, PhD
Lab Technician
2008-2011
Current Position: Scientist III at Alderon, Madison, Wisconsin
Mayowa Osundiji, MD, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow
2008-2011
Current Position: Residency, specialty training in medical genetics at SickKids Hospital Toronto, CA, Laboratory consulting in
clinical chemistry
Daniel Tondera, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow
2008-2010
Current Position: Head of Biology, Pantherna Therapeutics, Berlin Metropolitan Area Germany
Amar Kishan, MD
MD student
2009-2010
Current Position: Professor of Radiation Oncology & Urology, Vice-Chair of Clinical and Translational Research and Chief
of the Genitourinary
Oncology Service, Department
of Radiation Oncology,
David Geffen School of
Medicine at UCLA, CA
Claire Pecqueur, PhD
Visiting Scientist
2008-2009
Current Position: Investigator, Oncogenesis and Targeted Therapies, Nantes Angers Cancer Research Center, France
“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”