Our Team
Analisa DiFeo, PhD
Principal Investigator
adifeo@med.umich.edu
Dr. Analisa DiFeo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology and Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Michigan Medical School. She completed her doctoral research in 2008 at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York where she played a central role in defining alternative splicing of the KLF6 gene family as a key regulator in ovarian cancer. Prior to joining the University of Michigan Medical School in 2018, Dr. DiFeo was The Norma C. and Albert I. Geller Designated Professor in Ovarian Cancer Research and an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Medical Sciences (Oncology) at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Throughout my career I have strived to make original and impactful contributions to the field of women cancer research. I have a broad background in cancer genetics and biology, with specific training and expertise in miRNA biology, chemotherapy resistance, tumor initiation, and development of patient-based models. I have over 20 years of experience in biomedical research focused on women’s cancers and my laboratory's work spans the translational research continuum, beginning with an in-depth analysis of patient tumors and progressing to a functional assessment of key genetic drivers of ovarian cancer progression and the development of a novel therapeutic approach to abrogate these drivers to uncover therapies that will improve ovarian cancer patient survival. To accomplish this, we focus on three major areas: 1) generation of clinically relevant gynecological cancer models, 2) discovery of potent genetic drivers with a focus on microRNAs involved in tumor initiation, drug resistance and recurrence, and 3) development of novel or re-purposed drugs.
Michele Cusato, MS
Lab Manager
mdziubin@umich.edu
About Michelle
Michele has over 30 years of laboratory experience in cancer research. She began her career in the breast cancer laboratory of Dr. Stephen Ethier and was involved in the development of many breast cancer cell lines that are commonly used around the world today. There, she mastered several other skills frequently encountered in the laboratory setting, including DNA, RNA, and protein isolation, western blotting, Q-PCR, ELISA, immunofluorescence, virus production and infection. After moving to the laboratory of Dr. Diane Simeone, she continued to apply her skills in the development of over 10 pancreatic cell lines and refined the animal techniques involved in xenograft implantation. She assisted in several projects looking at the role of stroma in pancreatic cancer development. Additional responsibilities as a transgenic mouse core technician enabled her to understand and apply her efforts in the development and maintenance of several pancreatic cancer mouse models.
Michele joined the DiFeo lab in 2018 and brought with her the institutional knowledge required to navigate the details involved with working at the University of Michigan. One of her greatest assets is her ability to communicate effectively with other laboratory personnel, particularly in the area of training and instruction. Michele possesses a vibrant personality and the drive to accomplish the multitude of tasks necessary to keep the variety of laboratory projects on track.
She is an avid sports fan, with the Michigan Wolverines and Detroit area teams at the top of her list. She enjoys camping, gardening, jogging, and cooking.
Rita Avelar, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow
raavelar@umich.edu
About Rita
Rita Avelar is a Ph.D. student in the Pathology department at the University of Michigan and she has been working with Dr. DiFeo since 2016. Rita’s undergraduate experience helped her build a strong foundation for her biomedical sciences training, which allowed her to follow her passion and excel as a research scientist in the field of cancer research. During her undergraduate studies, Rita worked in a tissue engineering lab, where she focused on optimizing nanoparticles as drug delivery systems to target cancer cells. After she moved to Cleveland in 2013, she worked on a laboratory where her main project focused on identifying the role of Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) as a tumor suppressor and the functional relevance of PP2A mutations in oncogenic signaling pathways.
She loves being a mentor to several of her undergraduate students who are passionate about science and want to follow a career in the biomedical research. She continues to foster their passion and curiosity about unanswered scientific questions and continuously provides them with tools to succeed as research scientists.
Besides loving working in the lab, Rita enjoys spending time with her family and friends, doing fun activities such as playing volleyball, playing board games and watching movies!
Amanda Bekkala
Graduate Student
abekkala@umich.edu
About Amanda
Received a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Michigan Technological University. Here she worked in several interdisciplinary labs on topics ranging from C. elegans cancer biology to fruit fly cancer genetics. Throughout her undergraduate career, she was a teaching assistant and obtained several summer internships including one with the FDA at the National Center for Toxicological Research where she studied the toxicological effects of eugenol using the C. elegans model, which led to a first-author paper in the works. She also was a part of the inaugural TrEC Cancer Pathways cohort which fueled her desire for cancer research. Upon graduating, she worked as a lab technician at her undergraduate institution in a viral vaccine purification lab. From there, she moved to Ann Arbor to begin her journey as an Immunology Ph.D. student at the University of Michigan interested in further clarifying STING’s protective role in ovarian cancer pathogenesis by investigating how it impacts immune invasion. Outside of research, Amanda enjoys exploring the outdoors, skiing, and studying/chatting with friends in coffee shops (current favorite: Common Cup) around Ann Arbor.
Jose Colina
Post-doctoral Fellow
joscolin@umich.edu
About Jose
Jose Colina is a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the DiFeo Lab. He Earned a B.S. in Biochemistry from The Ohio State University where his research focused on studying mutations in PLAB2 in breast cancer. Jose received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2021. His thesis focused on the impact of estrogen and androgen in the development of fallopian tube derived high grade serous ovarian cancer. His work also revolved around developing and implementing next-generation, multi-organ microfluidic devices for interconnected ex vivo culture.
In the DiFeo Lab, Jose is working to elucidate the role of ciliated cells in defending the distal fallopian tube from genomic stress through their innate expression of machinery responsible for cytosolic DNA sensing. This will not only give us a better understanding of early tumorigenesis, but also have broader implications in how we think about the shifting immune landscape of the fallopian tube. These studies will provide the basis for the development of novel therapeutic strategies to sensitize ovarian cancers to immunotherapy.
Margaret "Meg" Farah
Post Graduate
farahma@umich.edu
About Meg
Meg Farah is a post-grad working in the DiFeo Lab. She earned a B.S. in Biology, Health, and Society and a minor in Gender and Health from the University of Michigan in spring 2023. Meg began working in the DiFeo lab with graduate student Jessica Teitel in August 2021 and has been working alongside her to research the efficacy of an amiodarone derivative in the treatment of ovarian cancer. In the future, Meg plans to pursue a career in medicine in hopes of becoming an OBGYN.
Aside from the lab, Meg enjoys relaxing at the beach and hiking the sand dunes near her home of Traverse City, MI. She dedicates a lot of her free time to reading, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
Zoe Jackson
Undergraduate
zoefj@umich.edu
Grace McIntyre
PhD Candidate
gmcinty@umich.edu
About Grace
Grace McIntyre is a PhD student in Molecular and Cellular Pathology at the University of Michigan. She earned a B.S in Biology and a B.S in Public Health from Marian University in Indianapolis, Indiana. There, she conducted research on ceramide metabolism in long- and short-lived C. elegans mutants. She also examined the role of the homeobox protein HOXA5 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Through these experiences, she became passionate about pursuing a project in translational research. Upon joining the DiFeo lab, Grace began pursuing a small molecule screen examining the compounds that target miR-181a in high grade serous cancer. Outsides of research, Grace enjoys exploring the outdoors, hanging out with her friends, and exploring Ann Arbor.
Noah Puleo, BS
Graduate Student
npuleo@umich.edu
About Noah
Noah earned a B.S. with Honors in Biological Sciences with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh in 2020. For all four years of his undergraduate, he worked in a lab investigating the genetic drivers of C9orf72-associated ALS/FTD using the C. elegans model system. Noah has a strong desire to perform translational research and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Pathology at the University of Michigan and a Precision Health Certificate. In Dr. DiFeo’s lab, Noah is identifying the molecular mechanisms behind repurposed drugs to eradicate cancer stem cells and combat chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer.
Besides research, Noah enjoys playing sports with his friends like basketball and soccer, the outdoors, going out eat, and unwinding with TV or a movie.
Harini Ram
Undergraduate
hram@umich.edu
About Harini
Harini Ram is an undergraduate student studying Biochemistry at the University of Michigan. She has been working in the lab since September 2023 with Noah Puleo and Dr. Jose Colina. She is focused on studying how purine metabolism and glutamine dependency in HGSC with Myc and miR181a amplification drives tumorigenesis. Additionally, she is working to explicate how STING protects the fallopian tube from early transformation into HGSC through P53-mediated cell death and paracrine signaling. From working on these projects, Harini has gained significant independence as a young scientist and proficiency of several techniques such as western blotting, SRB viability assay, and cell/organoid culture. She has also mentored a high school student in the lab in summer 2024, providing guidance on experimental techniques.
In the future, she hopes to apply for MD/PhD programs in the biomedical sciences with goals of studying mechanisms of cancer progression and discovering novel therapeutics. Outside of the lab, Harini enjoys reading fiction, arts and crafts, and spending time with friends & family.
Gabriela Rivera
U-M PREP Trainee
riveraga@umich.edu
About Gabriela
Gabriela Rivera is a University of Michigan PREP Trainee. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Puerto Rico in Humacao, where she majored in Microbiology. There she worked in a lab investigating the antibacterial effects of flowering plants. Further along she participated in the Developing Future Biologists program here at the University of Michigan, where she conducted research studying the mechanisms that undergo during late spermatogenesis. These experiences have led her to have an interest in cancer and reproductive biology. Gabriela’s future goals include getting her PhD and being able to help patients by conducting innovative research. In the DiFeo lab she works with Dr. Jose Colina in investigating the protective role of STING in ovarian cancer pathogenesis and what drives tumorigenesis in this type of cancer. Apart from lab, Gabriela enjoys taking care of her plants, spending time with her friends and family, and going to the beach.
Sreeja Sekhar, PhD
Post-doctoral Fellow
srsekhar@umich.edu
About Sreeja
Sreeja joined the Difeo lab in March 2019 as a post-doctoral researcher. She was a recipient of the Japanese government’s MEXT fellowship and received her Ph.D. from Okayama University, Japan. Her thesis focused on the mechanism of Her2 receptor endocytosis in breast cancer cells.
Prior to joining the Difeo lab, Sreeja completed her research training from Wayne State University, focused on understanding chemotherapeutic induced DNA damage response in breast cancer cells. Sreeja's current research in the Difeo lab is to understand the role of microRNAs in ovarian cancer initiation, progression and drug response.
Outside of the lab, she enjoys finding peace with her yoga practices, cooking experiments and traveling .
Alex Sobeck
Lab Technician
sobeckal@umich.edu
About Alex
Alex Sobeck, B.S. is a lab technician in the DiFeo Lab. He started volunteering with the lab in 2019 while pursuing a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Michigan. He is currently conducting post-baccalaureate research in close collaboration with Dr. Jose Colina. The project aims to elucidate if the loss of STING-rich ciliated cells in the fallopian tube facilitate genomic instability and immune evasion. Working on this project has allowed Alex to grow as an independent scientist and excel in several techniques including flow cytometry, organoid culture, and immunofluorescence microscopy. While working on this project, Alex has mentored five undergraduate students on Western Blotting and qPCR.
Alex is also responsible for maintaining a transgenic mouse colony critical to several DiFeo lab projects. Working in the DiFeo lab has confirmed Alex’s strong interest in biomedical research. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Biological and Biomedical Sciences in the Fall of 2024. Outside of lab, Alex enjoys going to concerts, skiing, and socializing with friends. He also enjoys going to sporting events and being a mentor to his younger siblings.
Jessica Teitel, BS
Graduate Student
jlmc@umich.edu
About Jessica
Jessica Teitel (McAnulty) received an Honors Bachelor of Science Degree with Distinction in Biological Sciences from the University of Delaware. In addition to writing an honors thesis during her undergraduate, she participated in two summer internships at Merck in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, which led to a second author publication. Currently, she is in her sixth year as Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan in the Molecular and Cellular Pathology program. Her dissertation research in the DiFeo Lab investigates the mechanism of a novel ovarian cancer therapeutic and is funded through NIH F31.
Outside of the laboratory and her science communication endeavors, Jessica enjoys playing with her maltipoo puppy Juniper, adding houseplants to a growing collection (current favorite: queen marble pothos), and exploring Michigan’s beautiful scenery in a MINI cooper.
Gracie Carvette
Undergraduate Student
carvette@umich.edu
About Gracie
Gracie Carvette is an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan. She began working in the DiFeo lab the summer before her freshman year. Currently, she works with graduate student Rita Avelar, conducting various experiments to test the effects of certain drugs on ovarian cancer and to determine their mechanism of action.
Outside of the laboratory, Gracie is involved with Camp Kesem at the University of Michigan, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children through and beyond a parent’s cancer. She also enjoys spending time with her friends and family and baking.
Agharnan Gandhi
Undergraduate Student
agharnan@umich.edu
About Agharnan
Agharnan Gandhi is an undergraduate at the University of Michigan pursuing a major in biomedical engineering. As a high school student through the Young Scientist Foundation, he helped elucidate a key mechanism in thromboinflammatory development and progression. In the DiFeo laboratory, he is working with graduate student Jessica McAnulty to extrapolate his previous research to investigate ovarian cancer progression. In the future, he hopes to become a physician-scientist with a focus in cancer treatment and drug development.
Outside of the laboratory, Agharnan is involved with Wolverine Tutors and MPowered. He also enjoys playing soccer, trying new food, and spending time with his friends and family.
Riya Gupta
Undergraduate Student
riyagup@umich.edu
About Riya
Riya Gupta is an undergraduate at the University of Michigan pursuing a major in Public Health Sciences and a minor in Biology. As a high school student, she began working in a cancer research laboratory and has continued to use those skills and expand her knowledge in the DiFeo laboratory. Currently, she works with graduate student Rita Avelar by conducting various experiments used to assess the genetic and proteomic status of ovarian tumors after drug treatment. In her future, she hopes to become a pediatric oncologist.
Outside of the laboratory, Riya is involved with Public Health Student Assembly, Phi Delta Epsilon, and The Pearl Project. She enjoys running, photography, and spending time with friends & family.