Lab Team

Jay is a Reseach Associate/Lab Manager of the International Multiple Sclorosis Microbiome Study with the Baranzini Lab. As a proud San Francisco native, they decided to use their educational background in neurodevelopmental disability and neurodegenerative diseases to contribute to the meaningful research done at UCSF. Their tasks involve conducting DNA isolation and purification from participants around the globe, as well as assisting in the Sandler Gnotobiotic Animal Facility.

Gianmarco is an Italian Medical Doctor whose clinical and research interests have centered on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) since the early stages of his medical training. During his Neurology residency in Rome, he deepened his focus on unraveling the clinical and pathobiological complexities of MS. His work integrates genetic and phenotypic insights, employing big data through SPOKE and AI-driven models to advance precision medicine in MS.

Hope is a Clinical Research Coordinator for the International Multiple Sclerosis Microbiome Study at the Baranzini Laboratory. Being born at UCSF, she felt a strong connection to the institution and knew it was the perfect place for her to dedicate her learnings and passions. After earning her BS in Business Administration from San Francisco State University, she discovered her passion for helping others.

Wanjun is a doctoral student in the Biological and Medical Informatics (BMI) program at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He earned a dual degree in Chemical Engineering (B.S.) and Economics (B.A.) from the University of California, San Diego, and has a diverse research background in physiology, genetics, and epidemiology. His research interests focus on leveraging biological knowledge networks and multi-omics data to enhance our understanding of disease mechanisms and evolutionary processes.

Ilan is an associate specialist in the Baranzini laboratory, where he works on on extending SPOKE's support for brain data modalities, including MRI data and brain cell type taxonomies from the Allen Institute for Brain Science. He has a master's in Computer Science with a focus on Computational Biology. and a bachelor’s degree in Symbolic Systems with an emphasis in Neuroscience.

Alicia is a wet-lab researcher investigating host–microbiome interactions in multiple sclerosis. During her PhD in Madrid, she studied disease-modifying therapies, with expertise in patient-based immunophenotyping, transcriptomics, and biomarker discovery, and in mechanisms of action involving immune modulation and neuroprotective pathways. She now profiles antibody repertoires against gut bacteria using PhIP-Seq in people with MS and uses fecal microbiota transplantation in germ-free mice to test causal neuroimmune effects.