Dunn Laboratory
Team Members
Current members
Gavin P. Dunn, MD, PhD
Principal Investigator
Director, Center for Brain Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy
Erdyni Tsitsikov, PhD
Staff Scientist
Erdyni’s education (Ph.D. in immunology) and numerous years of research experience in the field shaped his curiosity and interests in learning various ways to tackle brain cancer. While his most recent research was focused on meningioma, currently Erdyni is applying his extensive immunological background and recent brain knowledge to finding new approaches to enhance anti-glioblastoma immunity. Since joining the Dunn Lab, he is studying the origins of tertiary lymphoid structures in the meninges and assisting lab members in successfully bringing their projects to publication
Mao Li
Postdoctoral Fellow
Mao grew up in Chongqing, China and graduated from West China Medical Center. Mao is a postdoctoral research fellow studying neoantigen targeting and TCR-based adoptive T cell therapies in glioblastoma. He is a big fan of outdoor activities and food adventures.
Brian Hsueh, MD, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Anthony Wang
MD/PhD Graduate student
Anthony grew up in New Jersey and studied Biochemistry at Rice University. He is currently a MD/PhD student at Washington University in St. Louis, but working at MGH. He is interested in understanding T cell reactivity in glioblastoma and meningioma. Outside of lab, Anthony enjoys bouldering and trying new restaurants and dessert shops to make up for the lost calories.
Jose Maldonado
PhD Graduate Student
Ngima Sherpa
PhD Graduate student
Ngima grew up in Nepal and is currently a PhD student in the BBS program at Harvard University. She is interested in investigating the role of dendritic cells in antigen uptake and presentation in GBM. Ngima can be found enjoying poke by the river when the weather is nice. She also loves hiking and finding new coffee shops to enjoy.
Cameron Hall
Medical Student
Cameron is from the Bay Area and studied Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis. She is a Harvard medical student and current president of the Harvard Medical School Cushing Neurosurgical Society. In the Dunn lab she is investigating CD4+ T cells in glioblastoma and exploring the interface of immune cells, neurons, and tumors in the central nervous system. She enjoys making artisanal popcorn and playing pickleball.
Ursule Demael
Visiting PhD Graduate Student
Ursule is from France and studied Biomedical Sciences at the University of Oxford. She is now a PhD student in Immunology at University College London (United Kingdom), visiting MGH for a project investigating TCRs against glioblastoma antigens. Outside of lab, she has been loving exploring Boston and its broader biotech community.
Bryce Mashimo
Lab manager/research technician
Bryce grew up in Lincoln, Massachusetts and studied Biochemistry at Boston University. He is a research technician and is aspiring to attend medical school! He is currently using single cell RNA sequencing to understand the T cell landscape in glioblastoma. Bryce enjoys running and board games.
Anya Cheng
Undergraduate student
Collaborators
Dr. Allegra Petti, Ph.D.
MGH
https://pettilab.mgh.harvard.edu/
Dr. Tanner Johanns, MD, Ph.D.
Washington University in St. Louis
Alumni
The one and only
Dale Kobayashi
Faculty, Staff, & Postdocs
Rupen Desai, M.D.: Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin
Tanner Johanns, M.D., Ph.D.: Assistant Professor of Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine
Undergraduate Students
Eduardo B. Bernier (Currently an undergraduate student at New York University)
Graduate & Medical Students
Andrew Coxon (Previous medical student, currently a neurosurgery resident at Washington University in St. Louis)
Max Schaettler (Previous MSTP student, currently an internal medicine resident at Brigham and Women's Hospital)
Jay Bowman-Kirigin (Previous MSTP student, currently an internal medicine resident at Emory University Hospital)
Lydia Ann Leavitt (Previous medical student, currently a neurosurgery resident at University of Louisville)
Jarius Garner (Currently a medical student)
Previous members
Dale Kobayashi
Staff Scientist
Staff scientist with many years of experience in a broad range of experimental design and techniques. Massive Blues fan.
Rupen Desai, MD
Neurosurgery Resident
Rupen is a neurosurgery resident who studies the use of focused ultrasound in liquid biopsy and immunotherapy. Huge Duke fan.
Max Schaettler
MD/PhD Student
Max studies T cell recognition in brain tumors. He is a die-hard Bayern Munich soccer fan.
Jay Bowman-Kirigin
MD/PhD Student
Jay studies antigen presentation in brain tumors and novel mouse model development. Jay is a former professional free-style skier!
Connor Liu
Medical Student
Connor studies therapeutic neoantigen targeting in brain tumor models. Nobody is quite as cool as Connor.
Andrew Coxon
Medical Student
Andrew studies T cell biology in glioblastoma.
Alexander Wang
Research tech
Born in Vancouver, Canada, Alex graduated from UCLA with his Bachelor of Neuroscience in March of 2023. He is currently working as a research technician on a project investigating neuro-immuno-oncology, aspiring to matriculate to medical school in the fall of 2024. Alex enjoys golf and television outside of work.
Markus Anzaldua-Campos
Undergraduate student
Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, Markus grew up in Missouri and is an undergraduate student at Harvard University studying Neuroscience and Global Health. He is a research assistant and is aspiring to attend medical school. Currently, he is focusing on the meningioma immune landscape through single cell RNA sequencing. Markus loves lifting, watching Premier League football, and spending time with his friends!
Team Pictures
Lab Thanksgiving 2024
Lab Thanksgiving 2024
MGB Neurosurgery Christmas party at the Science Museum
MGB Neurosurgery Christmas party at the Science Museum
Cambridge Half Marathon 2024
Connor receiving the trainee award at CNS 2019.
Lab Holiday Dinner
Connor receiving Medical Student research award
Christmas at the Chocolate Pig
Lab lunch at Little Saigon
Celebrating Jay's (successful) thesis Proposal
Celebrating Tanner's paper acceptance
© 2025