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Meet Our Team
Our research team includes a diverse group of scientists, graduate students, technicians, and undergraduate students. The Brown Lab finds success through collaborative efforts. Our team would not be complete without these individuals.
Dr. Brown completed his training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, receiving a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Pathology and a PhD minor in Clinical Investigation. He went on to complete a postdoc with Jamie Thomson at the Morgridge Institute for Research. The Brown Lab started in 2019, just prior to the pandemic, when Dr. Brown was recruited as a faculty member in the Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation.
Matthew E. Brown, PhD
Principal Investigator
John Haynes, PhD
Honorary Research Fellow
John Haynes earned his PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology. His research interests focus on understanding the evolution of the highly adaptable nature of cellular physiology and the molecular basis of single-cell to multicellular interactions across boundary conditions over varying scales of time and space. This evolved into research projects focused on investigating the response of immune cells to transplanted cells, tissues, and organs. He is now concentrating on understanding how tolerance might be induced and is exploring various genetic alterations of iPS cells to ameliorate immune cell activation.
Alexis Holm
Research Specialist
Alexis graduated from UW-Madison in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Neurobiology. In the lab,
Alexis is involved in thymus-related research, most recently involving isolating thymic epithelial
cells for downstream applications. In her free time, she enjoys exploring cafes around Madison,
reading mystery novels, and going for walks with her cat, Nutmeg.
Liupei Huang, MD
Research Specialist
Liupei Huang earned her MD degree from Anhui Medical University in 2001. At the lab, she specializes in mouse work, including the creation of humanized mouse models, performing injections, and collecting and processing tissue and blood samples. Additionally, she is skilled in Luminex and flow cytometry techniques. Outside of the lab, Liupei enjoys reading, sewing, cooking, and gardening. Her dream is to travel to all seven continents.
Eric Ma
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Eric is an undergraduate student at UW–Madison majoring in computer science with a certificate in Health and the Humanities. He is interested in pursuing medical school after graduation. Within the Brown Lab, Eric works on wet lab experimentation and helps further the lab's computational biology capabilities, particularly related to RNA sequencing. Outside the lab, Eric enjoys officiating ice hockey, playing piano, and competing in Esports.
Olivia Mabbott
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Olivia is an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Microbiology. She strives to attend graduate school and pursue a career in immunological research. Within the lab, Olivia works on humanized animal studies, flow cytometry, and scRNAseq experiments. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, sewing, painting, and wheel-throw pottery.
Jacob Mielke
Research Intern
Jacob graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Mathematics and a certificate in History. Since graduation, he is applying to medical school where he is excited to explore various specialties. In the lab, Jacob contributes to RNA sequencing analysis and the lab's growing computational biology work. In his free time, Jacob can be found with a good book in hand, spectating sports, or humming along to his favorite tunes.
Mireya Pimentel
Graduate Research Assistant
Mireya Pimentel graduated from the University of Arizona in 2023 where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry as a Ronald E. McNair and Galileo scholar. She is currently a Ph.D. student in the Cellular and Molecular Pathology program and a SciMed Graduate Research Scholars Fellowship recipient. Her current research focuses significantly on humanized mouse modeling, transplant immunology, pluripotent stem cell biology, and Down syndrome immunobiology. Outside of the lab, Mireya enjoys gardening, baking, and spending time with her two dogs, Mochi and Charlie.
Sayandeep Saha
Graduate Research Assistant
Sayandeep graduated from KIIT University, India with a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Biotechnology. After graduation, he worked at the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, India, on mesenchymal stem cell mechanobiology under variable stress conditions induced by fabricated biomaterial scaffolds. Currently, his research is focused on employing hypoimmune gene editing techniques on pluripotent stem cells to prevent innate and adaptive immune allorejection of cardiovascular cellular therapies, specifically targeting the molecules critical to effector function and immune-endothelial cell interactions. Outside of lab, Sayandeep is an avid cinephile, enjoys pursuing his passion for photography, and plays his Stratocaster.
Grace Schauz
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Grace is an undergraduate student studying Biology with a certificate in Global Health. Following graduation, she plans to attend medical school, where she looks forward to exploring different medical specialties. She is learning how to perform humanized mouse bleeds and run four-color flow cytometry analysis. In her free time, Grace enjoys staying active, trying new foods, and exploring national parks.
Parnia Serjooei
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Parnia Serjooei is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Biology and Spanish at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In the lab, Parnia plays a crucial role as a research assistant by collecting blood samples and utilizing flow cytometry techniques. With a passion for the medical field, she aims to obtain her MD and become an anesthesiologist. Outside of the lab, Parnia enjoys figure skating, walking her dog, and volunteering, which provide a perfect balance to the rigorous demands of academic life.
Sophia Ullmann
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Sophia is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying Biomedical Engineering. Her goal is to attend medical school and pursue a career in a surgical specialty. Some of her lab responsibilities include gathering blood samples and processing and analyzing samples using flow cytometry. Outside of lab, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, hiking, volunteering, and exploring the city for new things!
Kara R. Vogel, PhD
Scientist
Dr. Kara Vogel is a biomedical scientist with a deep commitment to advancing our understanding and treatment of metabolic and neurological diseases. In the lab, Dr. Vogel investigates the therapeutic potential of iPSC-derived cells in disease models. Her goal is to help the team translate cell therapies to clinical trials. Dr. Vogel holds a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Washington State University, an M.S. in Biochemistry from Michigan Technological University, a B.S. in Mathematical Sciences from the University of Michigan, and an A.A. in Business Administration from Delta College. Outside of the laboratory, she enjoys a wide range of activities, including hobby science, hikes and sunsets, plants, chickens and fish, weightlifting, yoga, Pilates, CrossTraining, coaching, volunteering, and spending time with her best friends/family.
Arista Whitson
Arista is a Biochemistry major at UW-Madison. In the lab, she works with mice, feeds cell cultures, and helps with sample processing. She hopes to go on to medical school after graduating undergrad, with Orthopedic Surgery as an ultimate career goal. Outside of the lab, she is the assistant drum major of the UW Marching Band and also enjoys crocheting (poorly).
Undergraduate Research Assistant
We want to extend our gratitude to all Brown Lab alumni whose contributions have been instrumental to our success.
Wesley Blashka (MCW), Zach Bromet (Yale University), Tony Chen, Cross Daffada, Natalia Del Rio (UW-SMPH), Abigale Henrichs (Northwestern University), Jack Hermsen (University of Cincinnati), Christopher Little, MD (University of Washington Medicine - Department of Surgery), McKeon Lucas (MCW), Finn McCarthy (Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine), Lydia Murphy (UW-SMPH), Abhiram Nettem, Jiwon Seo, MS, Merrick Scholz (The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine), Saira Shah, Jack Simpson (Rush University Medical Center), Jayalaxmi Suresh Babu (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health), & Beth Young (Marquette University School of Dentistry)
Outside the Lab
To foster a collaborative and innovative environment in the lab, our team looks for exciting ways to learn and have fun outside of our research - whether attending conferences or taking advantage of Madison's countless experiences.
Open Positions
The Brown Lab research program encompasses pluripotent stem cell biology, transplant immunology, molecular biology, and genetics.
We are actively recruiting highly motivated postdocs, technicians, and undergraduate students.
We are accepting graduate students. Dr. Brown is a trainer in the CBMS, MCP, CMP, and CMB graduate programs.
If you are interested in being a part of our diverse and talented team, please apply by sending your CV, research interests, accomplishments, professional references, and/or any questions to Matt at brownm@surgery.wisc.edu.