Our Team
Principal Investigator
Jaehyung (Gus) Cho
Dr. Jaehyung (Gus) Cho received his B.S. and M.S. in Pharmacy at ChungAng University, Seoul, South Korea. He had predoctoral training in the laboratory of Deane Mosher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied how plasma fibronectin stabilizes platelet-platelet interactions. During his postdoctoral training in the Furie lab at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, he discovered the role of extracellular protein disulfide isomerase in arterial thrombosis. He started his independent lab in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine in 2009. He moved to the Division of Hematology at Washington University School of Medicine in 2020. His lab has studied the molecular mechanisms mediating platelet and neutrophil activation in thrombosis and inflammation. In his free time, he runs, listens to K-pop and classical music, and watches movies.
Staff Scientists
Jinzhi Wang, PhD
Dr. Jinzhi Wang received his Ph.D. from Oregon Health and Science University, where he studied membrane protein trafficking. Then, he had postdoctoral training at Washington University School of Medicine in support of T32. After that, Jinzhi worked in the industry for several years and returned to the Department of Radiology at Washington University School of Medicine as a staff scientist. He works on PET radioligand development and its clinical studies. His current project in the Cho lab is to identify small-molecule inhibitors for treating thromboinflammatory disease.
Postdoctoral Research Associates
Vishwanath Jha, PhD
Jae-Sung Kim, PhD
Jae-Sung Kim earned his BS in Molecular Life Science from Hanyang University in Korea. Followed by a combined MS/PhD program in Bionanotechnology, also acquired at Hanyang University. His PhD research was on the therapeutic effects of toxoplasma gondii dense granule protein 8-induced mitochondrial resuscitation in sepsis and cancer. His current research as a Postdoctoral Research Associate is focused on the role of RIPK1 in platelet activation and arterial thrombosis. In his spare time, Jae-Sung enjoys watching Korean TV shows and listening to music.
Jingu Lee, PhD
Dr. Jingu Lee received his Ph.D. from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea. Using longitudinal intravital imaging, he found that astrocytes are susceptible to acute microinfarction, and their reactive response leads to fibrous glial scar formation. He joined Cho’s lab as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in April 2022. His research project is to determine the molecular mechanism of neutrophil recruitment and vascular occlusion in cerebral vessels using intravital microscopy. In his free time, he spends time fishing, watching movies, traveling, and singing.
Research Technicians
Gavriel Brown, BS
Gav received his B.S. in Biology at the University of Missouri- St. Louis and is planning to attend medical school. He is currently broadening his knowledge base and research experience in the laboratory. He assists in research projects about the mechanism of platelet activation during arterial thrombosis. Gav enjoys woodworking, skydiving, and anything involving planes.
Brett Balzraine, BS/BA
Brett Balzraine completed his BS/BA in Biology and Exercise Science at Truman State University in Missouri, and he plans to continue his education in medical school. His current research in Dr. Cho’s lab is to assist in identifying small-molecule inhibitors for treating thromboinflammatory disease, and to investigate neutrophil activation and inflammation. Brett maintains many hobbies outside of the lab including rock climbing, triathlon training, and playing several instruments: the piano, ukulele, and guitar.
Janina Vomund, BSc (Hons)
Janina Vomund earned her BSc (Hons) in Bioveterinary Science at University of Chester, United Kingdom. She plans to continue her education to pursue a master’s in marketing psychology. She currently assists with a broad range of experiments involving the activation of platelets and thrombosis, as well as performing routine PCRs and genotyping. Janina also manages the laboratory website with updates on our research and staff. Her hobbies outside of the lab include gardening, yoga, reading fiction novels, and world travel.
Trainee, Mentee and Sponsorship Records
Graduate Students
2014-2015
UIC Chancellor’s Fellowship (Barazia, sponsor: Cho)
Role of DREAM in neutrophil recruitment and vascular inflammation
2015-2016
AHA predoctoral Fellowship (Tseng (M.D./Ph.D. student), sponsor: Cho)
Role of platelet ERO1α in platelet function during arterial thrombosis
2016-2021
NIH F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (Tseng, sponsor; Cho)
Role of platelet ERO1α in platelet function during arterial thrombosis
2019-2020
UIC Chancellor’s Fellowship (Khan, sponsor: Cho and Malik)
Role of neutrophil PECAM-1 in neutrophil transendothelial migration
Medical Students
2016
NASTH Research Fellowship (Mariscal, sponsor: Cho)
Role of platelet ERO1α in platelet function
2017
ASH Minority Medical Student Program Award (Nwanah, sponsor: Cho)
Effect of peptides blocking DREAM in arterial thrombosis
2018
ASH Minority Medical Student Program Award (Merritt, sponsor: Cho)
Effect of small molecule inhibitors blocking CXCR1/2 in vaso-occlusion in sickle cell disease
Junior Faculty
2011-2014
AHA Scientist Development Grant (SDG) (Wang, sponsor; Cho)
Albumin nanoparticles as a specific drug delivery system
2012-2016
NIH K25 Grant (Wang, sponsor: Cho and Malik)
Albumin nanoparticles as a drug delivery system into activated neutrophils
2017-2018
AHA Scientist Development Grant (SDG) (Kim, sponsor: Cho)
Role of platelet ERO1α in arterial thrombosis (relinquished due to his leaving for a new job)
2015-2017
ASH Scholar Award (Li, sponsor: Cho)
Role of neutrophil Akt in neutrophil-platelet interactions in vascular inflammation
2018-2021
AHA Career Development Award (CDA) (Li, sponsor: Cho)
Role of neutrophil DREAM in neutrophil recruitment during vascular inflammation
Postdoctoral Scholars
2014-2016
AHA Postdoctoral Fellowship (Kim, sponsor: Cho)
Platelet PDI in regulating heterotypic platelet-neutrophil interactions in thrombo-inflammation
2015-2016
AHA Postdoctoral Fellowship (Li, sponsor: Cho)
NOX2 in regulating αMβ2 integrin function and neutrophil-platelet interactions in thromboinflammation
2016-2017
Chinese Government Fellowship (Lei, sponsor: Cho)
Role of ERO1α in platelet activation
2017-2018
Chinese Government Fellowship (Xiong, sponsor: Cho)
Identification of ERO1α inhibitors as an anti-thrombotic agent
Alumni
Undergraduate Students
2016-2017
Maryam Naveed, Biology (Pre-pharm), UIC
(supported by Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Award)
2016-2017
Sri Raghurama Somala, Guaranteed Professional Program, Biochemistry, UIC
(supported by Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Award)
2018-2019
Omar Alam, Biology, UIC
(supported by Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Award)
2018-2019
Musa Alqam, Biology, UIC
(supported by Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Award)
2018-2019
Rachel Han, Mol Cell Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
2019-2020
Majd Alomari, Biology (Pre-pharm program), UIC
(supported by Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Award)
2023
Vasilisa Kuzmanova, Biochemistry and Cell & Molecular Biology majors,
and Immunology minor, University of Toronto
2023
Asha Criner, Neuroscience major and Chemistry minor, Macalester College
Predoctoral Students
2012-2013
Shruti Bhise, B.S. (M.S. student)
(Current position: Technician, University of Washington, Seattle, WA)
2015-2016
Adedamola Elujoba (M.S. student)
(Current position: a Ph.D. student, Dept. of Cell and Regenerative Biology, UW-Madison, WI)
2012-2016
Andrew Barazia, B.S. (Ph.D. student)
(Current position: Applications Scientist, intelligent imaging innovations (3i), Inc., Denver, CO)
2014-2019
Alan Tseng, B.S. (M.D./Ph.D. student)
(Current position: Residency in the U. of South Florida)
2017-2020
Mohammed (Aziz) Khan (Ph.D. student, co-mentor with Dr. Asrar Malik)
(Current: postdoctoral fellow, Department of Pharmacology, UIC)
Postdoctoral Research Associate
2009-2013
Eunsil Hahm, Ph.D.
(Current position: Assistant Professor, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL)
2010-2012
Zhenjia Wang, Ph.D.
(Current position: Associate Professor, Washington State University College of Pharmacy)
2013-2015
Namrata Shabrani, Ph.D.
(Current position: Principal Investigator, Symbiosis School of Biomedical Sciences, India)
2011-2018
Kyungho Kim, Ph.D.
(Current Position: Senior Investigator, Korean Medicine-Application Center, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Science and Technology, Daegu, South Korea)
2016-2017
Seock-won Youn, Ph.D.
(Current position: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, UIC)
2017-2019
Si-yeon Jeong, Ph.D.
(Current position: Scientific Officer, Pharmaceutical Safety Bureau Ministry of Food & Drug Safety, Osong, South Korea)
2011-2020
Jing Li, Ph.D.
(Current position: Research Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, UIC)
2018-2019
Bei Xiong, M.D.
(Current position: Attending Physician, Division of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China)
2020-2023
Tripti Kumari, Ph.D.
(Current position: Research Assistant Professor, India)
Research Technicians
2010-2011
Sungjin Huh, M.S.
2019-2020
Mary Kilroy, M.S.
(Current position: a Ph.D student in the Dept. of Pharmacology at the University of Cincinnati)
2019-2020
William Fabiano, B.S.
(Current position: a dental student at Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL)
2021-2021
Lilly Asherman, B.S.
2021-2022
John Jack Gallagher, B.S.
(Current position: Medical Student at Wayne State University, Detroit, MI)
2021-2022
Amber Olson, M.S.
(Current position: Pfizer Research Technician)
2022-2023
Taylor Lambert, B.S.
(Current position: Biological Sciences Research Technician II at Washington University in St. Louis)