Sandra Pinho, PhD

Principal Investigator - Assistant Professor of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine

Sandra earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of Porto, Portugal. In 2010 she completed her PhD training on Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology with Dr. Véronique Azuara at the Imperial College of London in the UK. Sandra then joined Dr. Paul Frenette’s laboratory at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York where she contributed to elucidate the identity and the role of cells and factors that constitute the hematopoietic stem cell niche in the bone marrow. In September 2019, Sandra was recruited at the University of Illinois at Chicago as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine.

spinho@uic.edu

Charles Ayemoba, B.S, M.Sc

Graduate Student

Charles graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with his B.S. in molecular and cellular biology and from Boston University with his M.Sc. in Biotechnology. He joined the Pinho lab in May 2020, and his project is focused on leukemia stem cell regulation by the megakaryocytic niche in the bone marrow. Outside of the lab he is either playing basketball or looking for good food in the city.

ayemoba2@uic.edu

Anna Di Staulo, B.S

Graduate Student

Anna graduated with her B.S. in Exercise Science from Saint Louis University. She joined the Pinho lab as a PhD student in June 2020, where she focuses on engineering HSCs for bone marrow transplantation. When she’s not in the lab, Anna enjoys traveling, hiking, and baking bread and other pastries.

adista3@uic.edu

Chandani Patel, B.S, M.Sc

Graduate Student

Chandani graduated with her B.S. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of South Florida and a M.S. in Human Nutrition from Columbia University. She joined the Pinho Lab as a GEMS rotation student in October 2022 and as a PhD student in 2023. When Chandani isn’t in the lab, she spends her time reading, doing yoga, and eating her way through the vegan food scene in Chicago.

cpatel46@uic.edu

Sen Zhang, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Sen got her PhD from the Institute of Hematology & Hospital of Blood Diseases Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College in Stem cell and Regenerative Medicine. She joined the Pinho lab in October 2022. Her project is focused on mechanisms of rejuvenation of aged hematopoietic stem cells and the regulation of leukemia stem cells by the bone marrow niche. Outside of the lab she is either exploring Chicago or cooking various food.

senzhang@uic.edu

Maria Paula Vigna F., B.S, M.Sc

Graduate Student

Maria is a PhD student in Pathology who graduated with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and an M.Sc. in Sciences and Biotechnology from Federal Fluminense University in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She joined the Pinho Lab as a Visiting PhD Student in October 2024. Outside the lab, Maria enjoys reading, drawing, eating good food, and exploring Chicago.

mvigna2@uic.edu

Nitya Dixit

Nitya is a student in the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. She joined the Pinho Lab as a member of the SIR program in September 2024 and spends her Wednesdays learning about hematopoietic stem cells and the methodologies to study them. Outside of the lab, she enjoys traveling, reading, and watching movies!

Rotation Students

Niels Dawson, B.S

MD/PhD Rotation Student

Niels received a B.S. in microbiology/immunology and a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA in 2023. He joined the Pinho lab as a rotation student in 2024 in his first year as an MSTP candidate. When he's not in the lab, Niels enjoys  hiking, food, and hanging around large trees!

ndaws@uic.edu

Emmy Francek, B.S

MD/PhD Rotation Student

Emmy graduated with her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma. She joined the Pinho Lab as an MSTP rotation student in June 2023. Outside of the lab, she enjoys figuring out skating, playing frisbee with her dog, and exploring Chicago.

efranc26@uic.edu