Current Laboratory Staff

Medical Students

Holden Richards: Mr. Richard's primary focus is studying activation of neonatal CD4 T cells using Toll-like receptors. He was awarded the GERM grant in 2020 to support his research with Dr. Lancioni. His work was accepted for a virtual presentation at the Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Conference: Holden Richards, Brett Davis, Michelle Underwood, Luke Uebelhoer, Lucia Carbone, Christina Lancioni. Impact of TLR-2 mediated co-stimulation on neonatal CD4+ T cell immunity, 2021. 

Erin Morrow: Ms. Morrow focuses on a project studying immunobiology of Pediatric TB with Dr. Lancioni. Her work was accepted for a poster presentation at Keystone TB annual conference: Erin Morrow, Qijia Liu, Gwendolyn Swarbrick, Sarah Kiguli, Mary Nsereko, Megan Toerien, Meghan Cansler, David Lewinsohn, Deborah Lewinsohn, Christina Lancioni. Differential CD4+ and CD8+ T cell recognition of Mtb-antigens in infant versus adult TB, 2022.

Sheevaun Khaki, MD: As a Pediatric Resident at OHSU, Dr. Khaki participated in a project focusing on Pediatric TB immunobiology. Her work was presented at Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting: Thiel B, Malone L, Khaki S, Zalwango S, Mukisa-Oketcho J, Chervenak C, Mayanja-Kizza H, Lewinsohn  D, Boom WH, Lancioni C. Robust Mycobacterium tuberculosis Specific Interferon-Gamma Responses by Ugandan Pediatric Tuberculosis Household Contacts with Latent and Active Disease, 2014. Dr. Khaki is currently a member of the Pediatric Faculty at OHSU. 

Jake Lenington, MD: As an Internal Medicine resident, Dr. Lenington worked on a project focusing on Pediatric TB immunobiology. His work was presented at American Thoracic Society annual meeting: Cansler M, Lenington J, Lewinsohn D, Lancioni, C. Neonatal Macrophages have Robust Uptake of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that Results in Enhanced Co-stimulatory Potential and Cytokine Response, 2014. Dr. Lenington went on to complete a Fellowship in Allergy and Immunology.

Mardi Boer, MD, PhD: Dr. Boer completed her post-doctorate training in Dr. Lancioni's laboratory focusing on neonatal regulatory T cell function. Following completion of her post-doctorate training, Dr. Boer returned to Europe to continue her career. Below are highlights from Dr. Boer's contributions to the laboratory:

• Boer M, Lewinsohn DA, Lancioni CL. The immunobiology of pediatric TB: Lessons learned and implications for an improved TB-vaccine. J Pediatr Infect Dis. 2018 13:113-121. Peer reviewed.
• Boer M, Underwood M., Lewinsohn DML., Lewinsohn DAL., Lancioni C. Functional reprogramming of neonatal regulatory T-cells by direct TLR2 co-stimulation. Keystone: New Developments in our Basic Understanding of Tuberculosis. January 14-18, 2017, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (poster presentation)
• Sinnott BD, Park B, Boer MC, Lewinsohn DA, Lancioni CL. Direct TLR-2 Costimulation Unmasks the Proinflammatory Potential of Neonatal CD4+ T Cells. J Immunol. 2016

Lindsay Brown: Ms. Brown joined Dr. Lancioni's laboratory as part of her scholarly work as a Master's of Public Health student at OHSU. Her project focuses on the medical needs and care of HIV-exposed children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Following her graduation, Lindsay is employed in public health services in the US. 

Qijia Liu: Ms. Liu joined Dr. Lancioni's laboratory as part of her scholarly work as a Master's of Biostatistics student at OHSU. Her project focuses on the immune response of TB in children and adults. Her abstract was accepted at Keystone TB annual conference: Erin Morrow, Qijia Liu, Gwendolyn Swarbrick, Sarah Kiguli, Mary Nsereko, Megan Toerien, Meghan Cansler, David Lewinsohn, Deborah Lewinsohn, Christina Lancioni. Differential CD4+ and CD8+ T cell recognition of Mtb-antigens in infant versus adult TB, 2022. 

Undergraduate Students

Lamisa Hasan: Ms. Hasan was an undergraduate at University of Southern California, who worked with Dr. Lancioni's laboratory studying infant regulatory T cells. She has subsequently started her medical school education.

Maia Lee: Ms. Lee worked with the Lancioni Laboratory while she was an undergraduate at Wellesley College, focusing on addiction immunology. She has subsequently started her medical school education.

High School Students

Dr. Lancioni has hosted over a half-dozen high school students in her laboratory for focused summer research projects. Some students have made substantial contributions to research studies, such as Mr. Geoffrey Gu, earning co-authorship on the following publications:

• Michelle L. Underwood, Byung Park, Luke S. Uebelhoer, Geoffrey Gu, Lynn E. Kunkel, Philip T. Korthuis, Ryan R. Cook, Rafick-Pierre Sekaly, Susan Pereira Ribeiro, and Christina L. Lancioni (2022). Chronic alcohol exposure among people living with HIV is associated with innate immune activation and alterations in monocyte phenotype and plasma cytokine profile. Front. Immunol: 13:867937. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.867937
• Michelle Underwood, Brenda Olmos, Geoffrey Gu, Luke Uebelhoer, Lynn Kunkel, Todd Korthuis, Christina Lancioni. Impact of alcohol use disorder and its treatment on gut permeability, microbial translocation, and systemic inflammation among people living with HIV. June 22, 2020 at The College on Problems of Drug Dependence (virtual format; Platform Presentation)

Lancioni Lab Alumni

Michelle Underwood: Ms. Underwood was a member of the Lancioni Laboratory from 2016-2023, most recently as a Research Associate. Along with managing the laboratory, Ms. Underwood's scientific focuses were addiction immunology, neonatal regulatory T cell function, and activation of neonatal CD4 T-cells using Toll-like receptors. Her work is featured in the publications below.  She left the lab to continue her career in Biotech.

• Michelle L. Underwood, Byung Park, Luke S. Uebelhoer, Geoffrey Gu, Lynn E. Kunkel, Philip T. Korthuis, Ryan R. Cook, Rafick-Pierre Sekaly, Susan Pereira Ribeiro, and Christina L. Lancioni (2022). Chronic alcohol exposure among people living with HIV is associated with innate immune activation and alterations in monocyte phenotype and plasma cytokine profile. Front. Immunol: 13:867937. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.867937
• Holden Richards, Brett Davis, Michelle Underwood, Luke Uebelhoer, Lucia Carbone, Christina Lancioni. Impact of TLR-2 mediated co-stimulation on neonatal CD4+ T cell immunity, 2021 at the Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Conference (virtual presentation)
• Underwood ML, Nguyen T, Uebelhoer LS, Kunkel LE, Korthuis PT, Lancioni CL. (2020). Altered monocyte phenotype and dysregulated innate cytokine responses among people living with HIV and opioid-use disorder. AIDS. 34(2): 177-188. PMCID: PMC6948804
• Michelle Underwood, Brenda Olmos, Geoffrey Gu, Luke Uebelhoer, Lynn Kunkel, Todd Korthuis, Christina Lancioni. Impact of alcohol use disorder and its treatment on gut permeability, microbial translocation, and systemic inflammation among people living with HIV. June 22, 2020 at The College on Problems of Drug Dependence (virtual format; Platform Presentation)
• Boer M, Underwood M., Lewinsohn DML., Lewinsohn DAL., Lancioni C. Functional reprogramming of neonatal regulatory T-cells by direct TLR2 co-stimulation. Keystone: New Developments in our Basic Understanding of Tuberculosis. January 14-18, 2017, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (poster presentation)

Luke Uebelhoer, PhD: Dr. Uebelhoer joined the Lancioni Laboratory in 2016 as a Senior Research Associate. Dr. Uebelhoer primarily focused on work related to the CHAIN network, as well as addiction immunology. His work is featured in the publications below. Dr. Uebelhoer left the Lancioni Lab in 2021 to pursue a career in biotech.

• Uebelhoer LS, Gwela A, Thiel B, Nalukwago S, Mukisa J, Lwanga C, Getonto J, Nyatichi E, Dena G, Makazi A, Mwaringa S, Mupere E, Berkley JA and Lancioni CL (2022) Toll-Like Receptor-Induced Immune Responses During Early Childhood and Their Associations With Clinical Outcomes Following Acute Illness Among Infants in Sub-Saharan Africa. Front. Immunol. 12:748996. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.748996
• Michelle L. Underwood, Byung Park, Luke S. Uebelhoer, Geoffrey Gu, Lynn E. Kunkel, Philip T. Korthuis, Ryan R. Cook, Rafick-Pierre Sekaly, Susan Pereira Ribeiro, and Christina L. Lancioni (2022). Chronic alcohol exposure among people living with HIV is associated with innate immune activation and alterations in monocyte phenotype and plasma cytokine profile. Front. Immunol: 13:867937. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.867937
• Underwood ML, Nguyen T, Uebelhoer LS, Kunkel LE, Korthuis PT, Lancioni CL. (2020). Altered monocyte phenotype and dysregulated innate cytokine responses among people living with HIV and opioid-use disorder. AIDS. 34(2): 177-188. PMCID: PMC6948804
• Michelle Underwood, Brenda Olmos, Geoffrey Gu, Luke Uebelhoer, Lynn Kunkel, Todd Korthuis, Christina Lancioni. Impact of alcohol use disorder and its treatment on gut permeability, microbial translocation, and systemic inflammation among people living with HIV. June 22, 2020 at The College on Problems of Drug Dependence
• Uebelhoer L, Lancioni C. CD4+ T cell activation during the newborn period: barriers against and pathways towards Th1 immunity. Crit Rev Immunol. 2018; 38(1):1-15. Pubmed PMID 29717661.

Brian Sinnott: Mr. Sinnott joined Dr. Lancioni's laboratory as a Research Assistant II in 2011, primarily focusing on activation of neonatal CD4 T cells using Toll-like receptors. His work was featured in the publication below. Mr. Sinnott left the laboratory in 2016 to pursue training as a Physician's Assistant.

• Sinnott BD, Park B, Boer MC, Lewinsohn DA, Lancioni CL. Direct TLR-2 Costimulation Unmasks the Proinflammatory Potential of Neonatal CD4+ T Cells. J Immunol. 2016. Epub 2016/05/20. doi: jimmunol.1501297 [pii] 10.4049/jimmunol.1501297. PubMed PMID: 27194790.