Rushika Perera, Ph.D. | Rushika.Perera@ucsf.edu Assistant Professor in Medicine Department of Anatomy Department of Pathology Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center Rushika grew up in Australia and received her PhD degree from the University of Melbourne and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research studying EGFR signaling in Glioblastoma. She conducted studies at Yale University in the laboratories of Derek Toomre and Pietro De Camilli in the department of Cell Biology.  Here she used live cell microscopy techniques to determine the topography and dynamics of endocytic vesicular trafficking.  She later completed postdoctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center/Harvard Medical School in the laboratory of Nabeel Bardeesy where she uncovered mechanisms for autophagy regulation and organelle function in pancreatic cancer cells. In September 2015, Rushika became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy at UCSF.
       
     
Christina Adams   |  Christina.Adams@ucsf.edu Graduate student (BMS Program) NSF predoctoral fellow Christina is originally from Southern California where she received her Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry at California State University, Fullerton. She is interested in mechanisms of tumor heterogeneity and oncogene addiction in pancreatic cancer.  When not in the lab, Christina loves to cook, bake, explore the city and play volleyball.
       
     
Anthony Venida | Anthony.Venida@ucsf.edu Graduate student (BMS program) NSF predoctoral fellow Anthony hails from the east coast and grew up in Maryland where he completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in the biological sciences and music. After graduating, he worked at the NIH as a post-baccalaureate fellow in the lab of Michael Lenardo to better understand the signal transduction pathways that regulate human T-lymphocytes. He is currently interested in identifying mechanisms used by pancreatic cancer cells to avoid immune clearance. In his spare time, he absolutely loves carrying around Tupperware to steal free food from seminars, eating copious amounts of food because he runs and bikes too much, and will gladly finish your leftovers.
       
     
Suprit Gupta  |   Postdoctoral Fellow Suprit is originally from India where he received his Master’s degree in Biotechnology from Madurai Kamaraj University. He received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha in May 2017 working with Dr. Maneesh Jain on the role of Endothelin in Pancreatic Cancer (PC) tumor microenvironment (TME) with an overarching goal to improve the delivery and efficacy of current therapeutic modalities in PC. In the Perera lab, Suprit is interested in identifying the mechanisms that mediate cross-talk between pancreatic cancer cells and the microenvironment that contribute to growth, metastasis and the aggressive nature of this disease. In his spare time, Suprit enjoys watching movies, travel, exploring the city and playing cricket.
       
     
April Wang | aprilgate.wang@ucsf.edu Research Specialist April completed her undergraduate studies at UC Berkley majoring in Microbiology and conducted research in Britt Glaunsinger's Lab studying viral-host interactions. April has also interned at Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics.  She is interested in understanding how cellular trafficking pathways regulate tumor growth. In her spare time April enjoys reading, eating! and hanging out with friends.
       
     
Sonali Verma Undergraduate student Sonali is an undergraduate student at the University of San Francisco pursuing her BS in Molecular Biology. A native of the bay, she has previously worked in Dr. Jason Rock's lab studying the calcium-activated chloride channel ANO1 and its regulation of gastrointestinal motility, mammary growth, and sperm and egg physiology. She is excited to start studying PDA and lysosome biology. When not studying, she enjoys going to concerts, imagining all the dogs she wants, and eating frozen yogurt.  
       
     
Jairo Barreto Associate Specialist Jairo is a graduated MD with over 10years of experience working with transgenic mouse cancer models in lung, pancreas, skin, breast and brain. He works jointly in the labs of Rushika Perera, David Solomon and Matthew Spitzer. In his free time Jairo really enjoys taking care of his tropical fish tanks and walking his dog Max.  
       
     
Rushika Perera, Ph.D. | Rushika.Perera@ucsf.edu Assistant Professor in Medicine Department of Anatomy Department of Pathology Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center Rushika grew up in Australia and received her PhD degree from the University of Melbourne and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research studying EGFR signaling in Glioblastoma. She conducted studies at Yale University in the laboratories of Derek Toomre and Pietro De Camilli in the department of Cell Biology.  Here she used live cell microscopy techniques to determine the topography and dynamics of endocytic vesicular trafficking.  She later completed postdoctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center/Harvard Medical School in the laboratory of Nabeel Bardeesy where she uncovered mechanisms for autophagy regulation and organelle function in pancreatic cancer cells. In September 2015, Rushika became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy at UCSF.
       
     
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Rushika Perera, Ph.D. | Rushika.Perera@ucsf.edu
Assistant Professor in Medicine
Department of Anatomy
Department of Pathology
Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Rushika grew up in Australia and received her PhD degree from the University of Melbourne and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research studying EGFR signaling in Glioblastoma. She conducted studies at Yale University in the laboratories of Derek Toomre and Pietro De Camilli in the department of Cell Biology.  Here she used live cell microscopy techniques to determine the topography and dynamics of endocytic vesicular trafficking.  She later completed postdoctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center/Harvard Medical School in the laboratory of Nabeel Bardeesy where she uncovered mechanisms for autophagy regulation and organelle function in pancreatic cancer cells.
In September 2015, Rushika became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy at UCSF.

Christina Adams   |  Christina.Adams@ucsf.edu Graduate student (BMS Program) NSF predoctoral fellow Christina is originally from Southern California where she received her Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry at California State University, Fullerton. She is interested in mechanisms of tumor heterogeneity and oncogene addiction in pancreatic cancer.  When not in the lab, Christina loves to cook, bake, explore the city and play volleyball.
       
     
+

Christina Adams   |  Christina.Adams@ucsf.edu
Graduate student (BMS Program)
NSF predoctoral fellow

Christina is originally from Southern California where she received her Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry at California State University, Fullerton. She is interested in mechanisms of tumor heterogeneity and oncogene addiction in pancreatic cancer.  When not in the lab, Christina loves to cook, bake, explore the city and play volleyball.

Anthony Venida | Anthony.Venida@ucsf.edu Graduate student (BMS program) NSF predoctoral fellow Anthony hails from the east coast and grew up in Maryland where he completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in the biological sciences and music. After graduating, he worked at the NIH as a post-baccalaureate fellow in the lab of Michael Lenardo to better understand the signal transduction pathways that regulate human T-lymphocytes. He is currently interested in identifying mechanisms used by pancreatic cancer cells to avoid immune clearance. In his spare time, he absolutely loves carrying around Tupperware to steal free food from seminars, eating copious amounts of food because he runs and bikes too much, and will gladly finish your leftovers.
       
     
+

Anthony Venida | Anthony.Venida@ucsf.edu
Graduate student (BMS program)
NSF predoctoral fellow

Anthony hails from the east coast and grew up in Maryland where he completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in the biological sciences and music. After graduating, he worked at the NIH as a post-baccalaureate fellow in the lab of Michael Lenardo to better understand the signal transduction pathways that regulate human T-lymphocytes. He is currently interested in identifying mechanisms used by pancreatic cancer cells to avoid immune clearance. In his spare time, he absolutely loves carrying around Tupperware to steal free food from seminars, eating copious amounts of food because he runs and bikes too much, and will gladly finish your leftovers.

Suprit Gupta  |   Postdoctoral Fellow Suprit is originally from India where he received his Master’s degree in Biotechnology from Madurai Kamaraj University. He received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha in May 2017 working with Dr. Maneesh Jain on the role of Endothelin in Pancreatic Cancer (PC) tumor microenvironment (TME) with an overarching goal to improve the delivery and efficacy of current therapeutic modalities in PC. In the Perera lab, Suprit is interested in identifying the mechanisms that mediate cross-talk between pancreatic cancer cells and the microenvironment that contribute to growth, metastasis and the aggressive nature of this disease. In his spare time, Suprit enjoys watching movies, travel, exploring the city and playing cricket.
       
     
+

Suprit Gupta  |  
Postdoctoral Fellow

Suprit is originally from India where he received his Master’s degree in Biotechnology from Madurai Kamaraj University. He received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha in May 2017 working with Dr. Maneesh Jain on the role of Endothelin in Pancreatic Cancer (PC) tumor microenvironment (TME) with an overarching goal to improve the delivery and efficacy of current therapeutic modalities in PC. In the Perera lab, Suprit is interested in identifying the mechanisms that mediate cross-talk between pancreatic cancer cells and the microenvironment that contribute to growth, metastasis and the aggressive nature of this disease. In his spare time, Suprit enjoys watching movies, travel, exploring the city and playing cricket.

April Wang | aprilgate.wang@ucsf.edu Research Specialist April completed her undergraduate studies at UC Berkley majoring in Microbiology and conducted research in Britt Glaunsinger's Lab studying viral-host interactions. April has also interned at Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics.  She is interested in understanding how cellular trafficking pathways regulate tumor growth. In her spare time April enjoys reading, eating! and hanging out with friends.
       
     
+

April Wang | aprilgate.wang@ucsf.edu

Research Specialist

April completed her undergraduate studies at UC Berkley majoring in Microbiology and conducted research in Britt Glaunsinger's Lab studying viral-host interactions. April has also interned at Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics.  She is interested in understanding how cellular trafficking pathways regulate tumor growth. In her spare time April enjoys reading, eating! and hanging out with friends.

Sonali Verma Undergraduate student Sonali is an undergraduate student at the University of San Francisco pursuing her BS in Molecular Biology. A native of the bay, she has previously worked in Dr. Jason Rock's lab studying the calcium-activated chloride channel ANO1 and its regulation of gastrointestinal motility, mammary growth, and sperm and egg physiology. She is excited to start studying PDA and lysosome biology. When not studying, she enjoys going to concerts, imagining all the dogs she wants, and eating frozen yogurt.  
       
     
+

Sonali Verma
Undergraduate student

Sonali is an undergraduate student at the University of San Francisco pursuing her BS in Molecular Biology. A native of the bay, she has previously worked in Dr. Jason Rock's lab studying the calcium-activated chloride channel ANO1 and its regulation of gastrointestinal motility, mammary growth, and sperm and egg physiology. She is excited to start studying PDA and lysosome biology. When not studying, she enjoys going to concerts, imagining all the dogs she wants, and eating frozen yogurt.

 

Jairo Barreto Associate Specialist Jairo is a graduated MD with over 10years of experience working with transgenic mouse cancer models in lung, pancreas, skin, breast and brain. He works jointly in the labs of Rushika Perera, David Solomon and Matthew Spitzer. In his free time Jairo really enjoys taking care of his tropical fish tanks and walking his dog Max.  
       
     
+

Jairo Barreto
Associate Specialist

Jairo is a graduated MD with over 10years of experience working with transgenic mouse cancer models in lung, pancreas, skin, breast and brain. He works jointly in the labs of Rushika Perera, David Solomon and Matthew Spitzer. In his free time Jairo really enjoys taking care of his tropical fish tanks and walking his dog Max.