Hajera Amatullah is an Assistant Professor at University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in the Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics. Hajera grew up in Abu Dhabi and Toronto, and performed her undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Toronto.

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Hajera received a Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) postdoctoral fellowship and undertook her work in Dr. Kate Jeffrey’s lab at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. Hajera started her independent lab in July 2023 and her research focuses on chromatin regulation of innate immunity in health and disease.

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Outside of the lab, Hajera enjoys biking, basketball, baking, and books (everything from comics books to dystopian sci-fi to colonial and ‘post’-colonial literature).

Himali Gujrati obtained her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (2023) from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where she worked under the guidance of Dr. Bi-Dar Wang. In the Amatullah Lab, Himali is investigating the role of chromatin reader UHRF2 in innate immune identity and function and how disruption of UHRF2 contributes to inflammatory airway diseases. Beyond the lab, Himali expresses her creativity through acrylic painting, graphite sketching and enjoys classical dancing.

Brianna LaFratta is from Virginia where she graduated college with a Biology degree. Following graduation, she worked for Thermo Fisher as an Immunology Research Associate. Now, she lives in Philadelphia and is gratefully employed by UPenn. In the Amatullah Lab, Brianna works on characterizing the contribution of innate immune memory of environmental triggers in chronic immune disorders. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, yoga, and spending quality time with her two cats, Gaia and Atlas.

Fariha is a Tufts biomedical engineering graduate with a passion for biotechnology research and healthcare equity. Her fascination with the intricate workings of the human body and immune system led her to the Amatullah Lab at UPenn. In the Amatullah Lab, Fariha is working on chromatin reader L3MBTL3 and its role in chronic inflammatory diseases. Beyond the lab, you can find her exploring scenic hiking trails or painting her views on life. Fun fact: If she wasn't doing BME, she would've been a wildlife rehabilitator!

Francine Baker is a PhD student in the Immunology Graduate Group at the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a BS in Public Health Science from the University of Maryland and an MS in Biology with a concentration in Cancer Prevention and Control from the University of the District of Columbia. Prior to her PhD studies, Francine worked as a Postbaccalaureate Research Fellow at the National Cancer Institute, where she developed her skills in translational cancer biology and molecular epidemiology.

Francine's current research focuses on understanding the interplay between the immune system and the microbiome in the context of sickle cell disease (SCD). She investigates how early-life perturbations like asplenia and penicillin prophylaxis, and environmental exposures, influence long-term immune health and susceptibility to related conditions like asthma and acute chest syndrome.

In addition to her research, Francine is deeply committed to public health. She is actively involved in the sickle cell community advocating for better understanding and treatment of SCD. Her work strives to bridge the gap between clinical research and patient care to improve health outcomes for those affected by SCD.

Miyako (she/her) is a first year PhD student in the Immunology Graduate Group. Before coming to Penn, she graduated with a bachelor's in Plant Science with an emphasis in plant genetics at UC Davis. She then spent several years working in Owen Witte's lab at UCLA researching immunotherapies targeting aberrant alternative splicing in cancer. In her graduate career, she hopes to learn more about the basic functions of the immune system and how autoimmunity and inflammation are caused. Outside of the lab, she enjoys gardening, going to the beach, advocating for social justice causes, and playing board games.

Winnie (she/her) is a first year PhD student in the Pharmacology Graduate Group. She got her BS in Biology from Northeastern University in 2021. During her time there, she primarily did her research in Dr. Jennifer Brown's Lab studying the effect of combination and next-gen therapies on chronic lymphocytic leukemia. After graduating, she worked full time at a start-up-turned-pre-clinical stage biotech called Be Biopharma. At Penn, she hopes to continue to explore her interest in the immune system under a variety of new lenses and ultimately become a better scientist because of it.

Outside of science, she loves to cook/bake, read and collect books, exercise, make friends with dogs (animals in general), try new coffee shops/restaurants, and advocate for health equity (among other social justice issues.)

Megan (she/her) is a first year PhD student in the Pharmacology Graduate Group. She got her bachelor's in both Neuroscience and Kinesiology from Indiana University in 2022. After graduation, she spent two years as a Research Assistant in the Polter Lab at GWU investigating sex-specific changes to VTA dopaminergic transience following subchronic variable stress. In her graduate career, she hopes to learn more about how epigenetics play a role in disease pathology and elucidate causes for sex-specific vulnerabilities to certain autoimmune disorders. Outside of the lab, Megan loves to hike, explore new parts of the city, get coffee with friends, and mentor younger students interested in pursuing a STEM career.

Esha Gadi is a passionate activist and researcher. In the lab, Esha is working with Brianna in understanding the effects of nanoplastics on the immune system. Outside of research, Esha is the co-founder of Hush Cakes, a bakery which has provided over 1,000 meals and raised over 3,000 dollars for homeless shelters. In her free time, Esha is a traveling kathak dancer and volunteers at her local free medical clinic.

Conner is a rising senior at Newark Charter High School in Newark, Delaware who aspires to major in biochemistry. Conner is co-supervised by Dr. Hajera Amatullah and Dr. Clementina Mesaros. He works with Himali to understand UHRF2’s control of metabolism. In his free time, Conner loves traveling, going to the beach, and watching movies.