Team
The combination of our unique individual strengths and diverse backgrounds has cultivated a strong, supportive team that expands our research in the Ellison lab. We work very closely with the McCormick Lab and the Gurley Lab in the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension.
Learn about past lab members on our alumni page.
Special thanks to Jonathan Nelson, Ph.D. for sharing his art and time to take most of our photographs below.
David H. Ellison, M.D.
Principal investigator
![David H. Ellison, MD Principal Investigator in the Ellison Lab](/sites/default/files/2019-01/Ellison-Lab-David-Ellison-200x200.png)
David has been a leader in defining how mutations in a novel kinase pathway cause Familial Hyperkalemic Hypertension by altering distal salt transport, and has defined how a high potassium diet reduces kidney salt transport.
→ Biography | ORCID | Elsevier Pure | Twitter
Chao-Ling Yang, M.D.
Research associate professor and MPI
![Chao-Ling Yang, MD Research Associate Professor & MPI in the Ellison Lab](/sites/default/files/2019-01/Ellison-Lab-Chao-Ling-Yang-200x200_0.png)
Chao-Ling's work focuses on the mechanisms by which WNK kinases modulate renal transporters and how mutations of WNK kinases cause human hypertension.
Ryan Cornelius, Ph.D.
Instructor of Medicine
![Ryan J. Cornelius, PhD Post-doctoral Fellow in the Ellison Lab, 2018](/sites/default/files/2019-01/Ellison-Lab-Ryan-Cornelius-200x200.png)
Ryan's research focuses on the cullin 3 mutant that causes Familial Hyperkalemic Hypertension and the role of the COP9 Signalosome.
Xiao-Tong Su, Ph.D.
Post doctoral fellow
![Xiao-Tong Su, PhD Post-doctoral Fellow in the Ellison Lab, 2018](/sites/default/files/2019-01/Ellison-Lab-Xiao-Tong-Su-200x200.png)
Xiao-Tong's current work focuses on the regulation of the sodium chloride cotransporter in the distal nephron, kidney remodeling, and optical tissue clearing.
Avika Sharma, B.S.
Research Assistant II
![Avika Sharma Colony Manager Current](/sites/default/files/2019-11/Avika.png)
Avika assists with the mouse colony and is shared with the Dr. McCormick's group.
Tanner Bradford, B.S.
Research Assistant II
![Tanner Bradford](/sites/default/files/2021-06/tannerbradford200x2002.jpg)
Tanner assists with the mouse colony and assists Dr. Cornelius with experiments.
Marissa Gutierrez, B.S.
Research Assistant II
![Marissa Gutierrez](/sites/default/files/2021-09/marissa2.jpg)
Marissa assists with the mouse colony and is being trained to work on experiments.
Collaborators
James McCormick (Jim), Ph.D.
Assistant professor and principal investigator
![James "Jim" McCormick, PhD Principal Investigator Collaborator in the Ellison Lab, 2018](/sites/default/files/2019-04/Ellison-Lab-Jim-McCormick-200x200.png)
Jim's research focuses on the regulation of sodium and potassium homeostasis by the Cullin3-WNK-SPAK/OSR1 cascade.
Yujiro Maoka, MD/PhD
Post doctoral fellow
![Yujiro Maeoka Post Doctoral Researcher Current](/sites/default/files/2020-06/Yujiro.png)
Yujiro Maeoka received his M.D. from Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan in 2009. He was awarded a Ph.D. by Department of Nephrology, Hiroshima University in March 2019. His graduate work focused on the role of kidney specific ubiquitin ligase, which protects cells from hypertonic stress. His current work focuses on the role of mutations in CUL3, a key regulator of WNK-SPAK/OSR1 Kinase signaling pathway, in the pathogenesis of Familial Hyperkalemic hypertension (FHHt).
Jonathan W. Nelson, Ph.D.
Instructor of Medicine
![Jonathan Nelson, PhD Senior Research Associate (Gurley Lab Collaborator) in the Ellison Lab, 2018](/sites/default/files/2019-01/Ellison-Lab-Jonathan-Nelson-200x200.png)
Jonathan is interested in understanding how cardiovascular disease is exacerbated by damage to endothelial cells and developing new therapeutic strategies aimed at improving endothelial cell function.
Josh Robertson, B.S.
Senior research associate
![Josh Robertson (Gurley Lab) Collaborator in the Ellison Lab](/sites/default/files/2019-01/Ellison-Lab-Josh-Robertson-200x200.png)
Josh has been at OHSU since 2007 and joined the Gurley lab in the spring of 2018. Josh manages the Gurley lab, maintains the animal colony, and leads animal studies and surgeries.