Anushka Dongre, PhD

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences

Adjunct Asst. Prof., Dept. of Microbiology & Immunology

Anushka completed her graduate studies with Dr. Barbara A. Osborne, at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where she demonstrated the importance of non-canonical Notch signaling in regulating T-cell function. Anushka completed her postdoctoral training with Dr. Robert A. Weinberg at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, MIT, where she demonstrated that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition contributes to the establishment of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and drives resistance of breast cancers to immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Anushka is Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. She is passionate about cancer biology, immunology, and mentoring the next generation of graduate and undergraduate students. In her free time she enjoys painting and spending time with her family.

Shiney Chandraganti

Technician III

Shiney has an MS in Biotechnology and Entrepreneurship from NYU. She has worked as a research assistant in The Schluter Lab studying quorum sensing communication systems in bacteria and has also evaluated the immune response and microbiome in lymphoma patients. She gained research experience in tumor immunology in the Khanna lab at NYU Langone Health. This experience motivated her to continue her research endeavors in cancer immunology in the Dongre Lab where she is excited to take up different projects. She aims to pursue graduate studies in the future. In her free time, Shiney enjoys reading books, cooking, and watching movies. sc3342@cornell.edu

Lynna Li

Research Assistant

Lynna is currently a second-year DVM student at Cornell University. She is keenly interested in small animal internal medicine and translational research, especially using animals to model chronic human illnesses. Working in the Dongre Lab has instilled a deep interest in the intersection of oncology and immunology and how we can use dogs to model human cancers. In her free time, Lynna enjoys cuddling her animals, hiking, and reading. 

Graduate Students

Kimaya Bakhle

Graduate Student

Kimaya is a second-year combined DVM/PhD student in the College of Veterinary Medicine. She earned her bachelor's degree in biochemistry at Purdue University, where she also conducted research on genetic mechanisms of age-related eye disease and canine bladder cancer. At Cornell, she is interested in studying cancer biology, especially the mechanisms of cross-protection and metastasis. She hopes to contribute to translational research that promotes cancer prevention and treatment in animals and humans. In her free time, Kimaya enjoys working out, trying new recipes, and being outdoors. kmb368@cornell.edu

Brian Feng

Graduate Student

I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto, specializing in molecular genetics and minoring in statistics. During this time, I worked under Dr. Charles Boone on a chemical-genetics project designed to identify targets of bioactive compounds in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. I then joined Dr. Jason Moffat's lab to study the modulation of surface SIRPα expression on macrophages. These projects fostered my interests in functional genomics and cancer immunology. I want to continue to work at the intersection of genetics and cancer immunology as well as explore new areas of biology throughout my graduate studies. In my free time, I love to draw, fish and play hockey.

Undergraduates

Caitie Sams

Rawlings Cornell Presidential Research Scholar , Undergraduate

Caitie is studying Biology with a concentration in Biochemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is studying the molecular mechanisms by which quasi-mesenchymal breast tumors are sensitized to immune checkpoint blockade therapies. In addition, she enjoys volunteering to aid Alzheimer's patients at local retirement homes, swimming competitively, and skiing.

Siddharta Pulukuri

Undergraduate

Sid is studying Biological Sciences with a concentration in Microbiology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He has conducted research in translational oncology regarding topoisomerase regulation in response to camptothecin drugs. He is ecstatic to research the mechanisms surrounding the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and how it generates immunosuppression in quasi-mesenchymal tumors. He competes in Cornell Sport Taekwondo, plays badminton, listens to music on the slope, loves exploring extravagant foods, and spends time with his friends. In the future, he plans on pursuing medicine while continuing his love for research.

Ashley Teal

Undergraduate

Ashley Teal is a junior studying Nutritional Sciences in the College of Human Ecology. She has conducted clinical research on breast surgical-oncological treatment regimens in the geriatric population at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She is interested in exploring clinical outcome of combination immunotherapy strategies on recurrent tumors. She is a Tradition Fellow and an active member of PATCH. She is passionate about community service, and travels to Guatemala once a year to assist surgical staff in a medical mission. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, running, skiing, and watching reality TV! She hopes to pursue a medical career with a research component. 

Caoilin Engstrom

Undergraduate

Caoilin is a Biological Sciences major concentrating in Neurobiology and Behavior in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She has interned at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and is interested in cancer research with an emphasis on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Lab Alumni

  • Brenda Ramos-Villaneuva (Summer 2023) : Cornell REU-CIHMID Student ; Current Position: U-Rise Scholar, University of New Mexico

  • Samantha Paucar (Summer 2023) : Vet Investigator Program Scholar ; Current Position: DVM Student, Long Island University

  • Isabel O’Connell (2022-2023) : Research assistant ; Current Position: Clinical Research Associate, Mass General Hospital

  • Lynna Li (Summer 2022) : Vet Investigator Program Scholar ; Current Position: DVM Student, Cornell University

  • Dimitria Gomes (Summer 2023) : Vet Leadership Program Scholar ; Current Position: DVM Student, Cornell University

  • Katy Wheeler (2022-2023) : Technician III