Meet Our Team
Our team members are at the core of what makes Laboratory of Keith Syson Chan such a unique and fulfilling place to work. We take pride in the diversity of our staff, with each member contributing their unique skills to the projects we are working on.
Keith Syson Chan
Principal Investigator
I received my PhD at UT MD Anderson and my postdoc training at Stanford. I am enthusiastic about cancer research that can ultimately impact patients' lives. I enjoy Jazz and getting to know other music lovers at local bars. Tony Bennett is my favorite. I appreciate impressionist art work and blown glass e.g., Chihuly. During the pandemic, I am using the instant pot as a novel approach to optimize experimental protocols.
Contact us to find out more about our team.
Fotis Nikolos
Assistant Professor (Former CPRIT fellow)
I have a B.S. in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Democritus University of Thrace in Greece. I received my PhD from University of Houston. For hobbies, I love cooking food (especially BBQ/Grilling), eating, and baking. I also love to run (to compensate from all the eating!).
Yogindra Vedvyas
Research Associate
Angisha Basnet
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Elisa Morales
Lab supervisor
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I obtained my BSc. in Microbiology and MS from the University of Texas at El Paso. While at UTEP, I developed a High Throughput cellular screening system to identify inhibitors of HIV-1 infection. Following graduation, I joined the laboratory of Dr Olof Sundin at Texas Tech University HSC where I did research on the genetic and structural basis of the eye disease nanophthalmos as well as investigations of eye, oral, and intestinal microbiomes.
Before joining Dr Chan Lab, I worked in the Dept of Cardiovascular Sciences here at Houston Methodist where I focused in telomerase dynamics and premature aging in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, and the development of innovative RNA-lipid nanoparticle therapeutics and telomerase-based skin regeneration strategies.
Yoo-shin Kim
Research Associate
Shuang Peng
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Sima Zolfaghari
Post-Doctoral Fellow
I Received both my MSc degree and my Ph.D. degree from the University of Oslo, Norway. During my MSc, I focused on studies investigating p21 expression in Melanoma cancer cells at the Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, and completed a Molecular Bioscience program at the University of Oslo. In my doctorate research, conducted at the Institute for Surgical Research, Oslo University Hospital, I explored the regulation and cellular distribution of the matricellular protein CCN5, in wound healing following myocardial infarction. Furthermore, elucidated the bioactive entity of CCN5, its cell signaling properties and functions in various cells. I am interested in investigating the two-way interactions between metastatic cells and the metastatic tumor microenvironment to provide the immune system with better therapies against the tumor. In my spare time, I can be easily found at the gym, watching movies or enjoying my time cooking and shopping.
Khanh Chau
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Dr. Khanh Chau is a postdoctoral fellow at the Houston Methodist Research Institute and a member of the Chan Lab. His research focuses on understanding how tumor cells interact with the extracellular matrix and surrounding stromal cells to drive cancer progression and immune exclusion. His work investigates Discoidin Domain Receptor 1 (DDR1), a collagen-sensing receptor, and its role in regulating collagen-rich tumor microenvironments, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and tumor–stroma interactions in bladder cancer. His research aims to uncover mechanisms of immune exclusion and identify new therapeutic strategies to improve cancer treatment..
Santanu Maji
Research Associate
David Chang
Research Associate
I am a molecular and cellular biologist who started my education at UCLA as a biology major and mathematics minor, then continued to pursue a master's degree in biostatistics at George Washington University in D.C., worked as a statistician for NASA in Houston, and completed my Ph.D. training in Molecular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. My research interests include transcriptional regulation, organoid differentiation, and cellular therapy. I enjoy movies, videography, and traveling.
Xen Ping Hoi
Graduate Research Fellow
I received my B.S. in Biochemistry from UCLA. I am interested in the cross-talk between immune cells and their microenvironment during disease progression (i.e., in cancer). I enjoy exploring eateries, hanging out with friends, hiking and being restful during vacations.
Gemma Rees
Collaborative PhD Student, Swansea University & Houston Methodist
I graduated with a BSc in Biological Sciences from Swansea University, where my interest in cancer research first took shape. My dissertation examined DNA methylation in CpG regions across fibrotic diseases, work that sparked a deeper interest in the tumor microenvironment. My current PhD project builds on that interest, using multiomic approaches to investigate the tumor microenvironment, particularly in bladder cancer. In my free time I like to work out, read, and go for long walks in the countryside!
Haley Garcia
Research Assistant
Yen Nhi Dang
Research Technician
