Principal Investigator
Ramon Jin, MD, PhD
I am an oncologist who treats gastroesophageal cancer patients in the clinic, and studies gastroesophageal cancers in the research lab. Specifically, I am interested in precursor conditions or metaplasias in the stomach and esophagus (i.e. Barrett’s esophagus) as these lesions are key to understanding the formation of gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas. These precancerous lesions oftentimes reflect an aberrant developmental process with loss of normal upper GI transcriptional programming and a switch to an intestinal differentiation process. My research utilizes novel genetic mouse models, human patient derived organoids, and an integrative multi-omics approach to elucidate the critical molecular steps that occur during upper GI metaplasia development. I believe that if we better understand why and how these precancerous conditions develop, then we can possibly reverse these conditions to prevent them from ever progressing to cancers. I am committed to not only understanding the basic science of gastroesophageal cancers, but also, and more importantly, taking new discoveries and translating them into real improvements in the way we treat gastroesophageal cancer patients
Senior Staff Scientist
Xueping Ee, PhD
I am a senior scientist in Dr. Ramon Jin’s lab. I graduated from Tongji Medical University in 1986 and got my MS in Microbiology and Immunology at WIBP in 1989 in China. I have over 35 years of experience in Immunoassay, molecular and cellular biology, cancer biology & PDX animal model and tissue regeneration.
Research Technician II
Terz Akumaga
I am from Nigeria and lived there until after my high school when I came to the US to continue my education. I recently completed my bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at the University of Oklahoma in May 2024. I intend to use my time in the lab to learn and gain more research experience before furthering my education. I plan to enroll in an MD/PhD program in the near future.