Ajay Goel Lab

Yudai Higuchi is a Global Scholar in the Ajay Goel Lab at City of Hope.

Maaha Khan is a Research Associate I and Lab Manager in the Ajay Goel Lab at City of Hope. Maaha Khan graduated from McGill University with a B.S. in Biology and Mathematics with concentrations in Neuroscience and Statistics. During her undergraduate degree, she had multiple research internships where she worked on projects focusing on lymphocytic lymphoma and immune cell states in brain tumors. In her free time, she enjoys dancing and going to the beach.

Xin Kong, Ph.D., holds a Ph.D. in Biology from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), and works in the Subspecialty of Molecular Pathology at the Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC. She is specializing in the tumor molecular diagnostic and genetic consulting. Outside of work, she enjoys sports and traveling.

Yuan Li, a Ph.D. candidate at Tongji University, is dedicated to her current research, which revolves around understanding the intricacies of gastrointestinal cancer metastasis and the development of resistance to cancer treatments.

Her main goal is to enhance the understanding of molecular and immune biomarkers present in tissue and blood samples. This work aims to improve the accuracy of precision diagnostics and treatment strategies for gastrointestinal cancer.

Outside of her research endeavors, she finds joy in activities such as hiking and traveling.

Takayuki Noma, M.D., graduated from Tokushima University of Medicine in Japan. In Japan he worked as a digestive surgeon. 

He played rugby football at university and enjoys fishing and cooking.

Roxanna Razavi is a Research Associate I in the Goel Lab at City of Hope. Roxanna graduated from the University of California- Santa Barbara with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and Honors Distinction in Research. During her undergraduate degree, she gained experience in various labs and primarily focused on investigating the effects of a ketogenic diet on liver cysts in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Outside of the lab, she enjoys practicing yoga and attending concerts.

Silei Sui graduated from Dalian Medical University with a Ph.D. in oncology and worked on the molecular mechanism and clinical significance of colorectal cancer before joining City of Hope. After graduation, she worked as a visiting postdoctoral under the guidance of Ajay Goel, Ph.D., M.S., at City of Hope. She aims to identify clinical biomarkers for improving the survival and treatment effect of colorectal cancer based on a multi-omics NGS approach.

Sui is skilled in Python, R, and machine learning and experienced in the biological analysis of genome sequencing, transcriptional sequencing and single-cell sequencing data.

Outside of work, she enjoys fitness and listening to music.

Toshiaki Takahashi, M.D. graduated from Okayama University in Japan and is currently affiliated with the Department of Gastroenterological Surgery at Okayama University. His research focuses on translational oncology. Outside of his academic and research pursuits, Dr. Takahashi enjoys both playing and watching sports.

Koichi Takiguchi, MD, Ph.D. is a global scholar in the Ajay Goel Lab at City of Hope, Duarte, CA. He graduated from Fukushima Medical University in Japan and belong to the First Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi. He is a gastrointestinal surgeon specializing in the lower gastrointestinal tract.

Junyong Weng, M.D. Ph.D. is a Global Scholar in the Ajay Goel Lab at City of Hope, Duarte, CA. Junyong Weng, M.D., Ph.D, earned a Ph.D. from Fudan University, specializing in metastatic colorectal cancer and immunotherapy research. During his time at City of Hope, under the mentorship of Professor Goel, he focuses on developing biomarkers for predicting treatment responses in colorectal cancer and identifying potential therapeutic targets. Outside of work, he enjoys staying active through sports and exploring his passion for cooking. 

Lingling Xu is a Global Scholar in the Ajay Goel Lab at City of Hope.

Yang Yang is a Global Scholar in the Ajay Goel Lab at City of Hope.

Jiabei Zhu, Ph.D., earned her Ph.D. from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, specializing in the role of noncoding RNAs in the development of liver cancer. During her time at City of Hope, under the mentorship of Professor Goel, she focuses on investigating the role of small ncRNAs in liver cancer pathogenesis and developing biomarkers for liver cancer diagnosis. Outside of work, she enjoys staying active through sports and traveling.