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BMB PhD Program

Meet Our Faculty

Our program offers an optimal balance between a close-knit, supportive community and a broad range of exciting faculty labs for thesis research. 

Our program is centered in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, where students will take many of their courses and participate in activities from PhD Club to our annual retreat, and become members of the vibrant community of faculty, students, and postdocs. But students aren’t limited to joining thesis research labs in our department – our program includes over 40 faculty from across the Johns Hopkins Schools of Public Health, Medicine, Engineering, and Arts and Sciences. 

Faculty and students work together to expand our knowledge of the biochemical and molecular bases of biological processes, and to understand their impact on health at scales from cells to populations. Our faculty have a broad range of research interests – check out our program scope to learn about the major themes.  

Scott Bailey

Exploring structure and function

James Berger

James M. Berger

Structural mechanisms of molecular machines

Fred Bunz

Fred Bunz

Stress-activated pathways and anti-cancer therapies

Danfeng Cai

Danfeng (Dani) Cai

Imaging transcription and cellular organization

Michael Caterina

Michael Caterina

Molecules and cells that drive chronic pain

Val Culotta

Valeria Culotta

Metal ions & oxygen radicals in biology & disease

Chi Van Dang

Chi Van Dang

Oncogenic alteration of metabolism and immunity

Jennifer Elisseeff

Jennifer Elisseeff

Leveraging adaptive immunity for tissue repair

Andrew Ewald

Andrew J. Ewald

Cellular and molecular basis of cancer metastasis

Daniele Gilkes

Daniele Marie Gilkes

Microenvironmental regulators of metastasis

Rachel Green

Rachel Green

Ribosome function in protein synthesis and signaling

Stephanie Hicks

Stephanie Hicks

Applied statistics for genomics & biomedical data

Elizabeth Jaffee

Elizabeth Jaffee

Pancreatic cancer vaccines and interception

Brittany Jenkins-Lord

Brittany Jenkins-Lord

Molecular consequences of cancer disparities

Jennifer Kavran

Jennifer Kavran

Hippo signaling & protein kinases

Ken Kinzler

Kenneth Kinzler

Cancer genetics to improve detection & treatment

Sabra Klein

Sabra L. Klein

Sex differences & pregnancy effects on immune response

Marikki Laiho

Marikki Laiho

Targeting cancer transcriptional programs

Anthony K. L. Leung

Targeting RNA regulation through poly(ADP-ribose)

Jun Liu

Jun O. Liu

Design and synthesis of novel macrocycle libraries

Michael Matunis

Michael J. Matunis

SUMO functions and effects

Alan Meeker

Alan Meeker

Telomere biology and maintenance in cancer

Utthara Nayar

Utthara Nayar

Targeting resistant breast and ovarian cancer

Philipp Oberdoerffer

Philipp Oberdoerffer

Epigenetics of genome maintenance

Erika Pearce

Erika L. Pearce

Metabolic signals that regulate immune responses

Kenneth Pienta

Kenneth J. Pienta

Utilizing ecologic principles to study cancer lethality

Joel Pomerantz

Joel L. Pomerantz

Mechanisms of signaling in immunity and cancer

Sean Prigge

Sean Prigge

Metabolic pathways in malaria parasites 

Vito Rebecca

Vito Rebecca

Cancer metastasis, therapy resistance, health disparities 

Cynthia Sears

Cynthia L. Sears

Mechanisms of microbiota, microbiome, and cancer

Dipali Sharma

Dipali Sharma

Cancer: microbial dysbiosis, racial disparities & obesity

Photini Sinnis

Photini Sinnis

Malaria: cell biology & transmission dynamics 

Kellie Smith

Kellie N. Smith

Unlocking the power of tumor-specific T cells

Eneda Toska

Eneda Toska

Epigenetic regulation & therapy response in cancer

Victor Velculescu

Victor Velculescu

Liquid biopsies, AI, and early cancer detection

Fengyi Wan

Fengyi Wan

Investigating colonic health and diseases

Jiou Wang

Jiou Wang

Protein & RNA homeostasis in neurodegeneration

Ashani Weeraratna

Ashani Weeraratna

Melanoma, aging, and microenvironments 

Denis Wirtz

Denis Wirtz

New cell therapies for cancer and auto-immune diseases

Carl Wu

Carl Wu

Dynamic regulation of chromatin accessibility

Neeha Zaidi

Neeha Zaidi

Developing vaccines to treat & prevent pancreatic cancer