The Liu-kocytes

Postdocs & Research Associates

Dr. Sergei Butenko

Postdoctoral Researcher
Biomedical Engineering

Ph.D. Human Biology
University of Haifa

Project: Biomaterials & Apoptotic Neutrophils for Wound Healing

Li-Mor David

Assistant Specialist

M.S. Human Biology
University of Haifa

Graduate Researchers

Thuy-Khanh Tran Dao

Ph.D. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
ttrandao@uci.edu

B.S. Biomolecular Engineering, UC Santa Cruz

Project: Modulating Neuroinflammation with CD200

Daanish Kulkarni

Ph.D. Candidate, Pharmaceutical Sciences Neuroimmunology T32 Fellow                        dkulkarn@uci.edu 

M.S. Biochemistry, CSU Long Beach

B.S. Biopsychology, UC Santa Barbara

Project: Investigating the role of Piezo1 mechanotransduction on microglia function in alzheimer’s disease.

Outside of lab i enjoy collecting rare teas, traveling, judo, boxing, and playing trumpet.  

Daniela Enriquez Ochoa

Ph.D. Student, Biomedical Engineering            National Science & Technology Council of Mexico  Fellow                                                           enriqud2@uci.edu

M.S. Biotechnology, Tecnológico de Monterrey

B.S. Biotechnology Engineering, Tecnológico de Monterrey

Project: Role of Piezo1 on macrophage fusion during the foreign body response.

I’m an avid coffee enthusiast and in my spare time I enjoy playing sims and ‘love bombing’ my cat oreo.

Yuchun Wang

Ph.D. Candidate, Chemical & Biomolecular   Engineering
yuchunw2@uci.edu

M.S. Chemical Engineering
Johns Hopkins University

B.S. Chemical Engineering
Tianjin University

Project: Transcriptional regulation of macrophage activity from biophysical cues

In my spare time i enjoy playing video games and spending quality time with friends.

Undergraduates

Tamara Kyaw

UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow

CADMIM START Summer Intern

Psychology & Public Health (2025)

Olivia Yoshii

UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow

Clinical Neurosciences Undergraduate Scholar

Human Biology (2025)

Ronald Nguyen

UROP Research Experience Fellow

CADMIM REM Intern

Biomedical Engineering & Biological Sciences (2026)

Gianna Tan

UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow

Biomedical Engineering (2026)

Matthew Morales

UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow

Chemistry & Biological Sciences (2025)

Wendy Pham

UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow

Philip S. Hiestand Engineering Awardee

Biomedical Engineering (2025)

Allison Lee

UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow

Biological Sciences & Asian American Studies (2026)

Yoav Weber

UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow

Mathematics & Biological Sciences (2026)

Kylee Davis

UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow

Biomedical Engineering (2027)

Brandon Dao

CADMIM START Summer Intern

Biomedical Engineering (2026)

Houston Nguyen

CADMIM START Summer intern

Biomedical Engineering (2026)

Alumni

Former Doctoral Students Tenure Current Position
Praveen Veerasubramanian 2017 – 2022 Pfizer
Hamza Atcha 2017 – 2021 UCSD
Ssu-Chieh Joseph Hsu 2015 – 2021
Raji Nagalla 2015 – 2020 UCI Medical Student
Esther Yu-Tin Chen 2016 – 2019 CSL Behring
Jessica Hsieh 2011 – 2018 UCLA Law School
Tim D. Smith 2011 – 2017 AbCellera
Thuy Luu 2011 – 2018 Allakos Inc.
Frances McWhorter 2010 – 2015 FDA
Yoon Kyung Kim 2007 – 2013 Xencor

 

 

Former Postdoctoral Researchers Tenure Current Position
Hamza Atcha, Ph.D. 2021 – 2022 UCSD
Vijaykumar Meli, Ph.D. 2016 – 2022 FUJIFILM
Yoon Kyung Kim 2016 – 2017 Xencor
Tingting Wang, Ph.D. 2010 – 2013 Alcon Labs

 

Former Master’s Students Tenure Current Position
Annie Dinh 2021 – 2023 Ph.D. Student (UCI)
Ashley Niu 2019 – 2021 Harvard Eye Associates
Jiangfeng Chen 2018 – 2020
Esther Yu-tin Chen 2014 – 2016 CSL Behring
Chase Davis 2013 – 2014 NuVasive
Jessica Schlosser 2012 – 2014 San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control
Seunghyun Ha 2011 – 2013 Ph.D. Student (UCLA)
Eric Somogyi 2010 – 2012 Abbott

 

Former Undergraduates Graduation Year
Man Yi (Ashley) Lee 2024 (BioSci/Chem)
Melissa Nunes 2024 (BioSci)
Athena Niu 2024 (BME)
Amal Tabban 2023 (BME)
Leilany Lim 2023 (BME)
Hailey Matyac 2023 (BME)
Jonard Ingal 2023 (BioSci)
Tzuling Lin 2026 (BME)
Ananya Rai 2026 (BME)
Hannah Hooper 2021 (BME)
Nancy Morales 2021 (BME)
Kevin Jiang 2020 (BME)
Jessica Chin 2020 (BME)