Lab Members

Zoe is a current senior Biochemistry major at Barnard College who aims to pursue a PhD in cancer biology. She is also a Goldwater Scholar. She is interested in studying chromatin state in aggressive cancers using novel biotechnological tools, and outside of research, she enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with her family.

Vicky double majored in Biochemistry and Nutritional Science with a minor in Studio Art at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Her research interests include studying NSCLC, specifically in chromatin regulation. She loves singing, painting, snowboarding, and her two cats.

Shruti received her MSc from KIIT School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, India and her PhD from the Bose Institute, India. Her keen interest lies in unraveling the complexities of cancer development and identifying novel therapeutic targets. Her active research interest revolves around the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex and its pivotal role in driving lung cancer metastasis. With a prime focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying metastatic progression, she is interested in deciphering how alterations in ARID1A contribute to tumor dissemination and therapeutic resistance in lung cancer. Beyond the lab, she enjoys non-fiction reads and exploring the dynamic streets of NYC.

Emily attended Barnard College studying Biochemistry. Her research contributed to understanding how SMARCA4 mutations contribute to KRAS inhibitor resistance in lung adenocarcinomas. She now works for DeciBio in Los Angeles, California.

Elena graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Biotechnology and a minor in Chinese Language. Her research interests include tissue engineering and biomaterials, and one of her focuses in the lab is establishing cultures of lung cancer patient-derived organoids. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, running, and exploring NYC.

David graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. His undergrad research work focused on the synthesis and structural characterization of a large panel of cellulose-based aerogels. David joined the Concepcion lab to explore his interest in translational research and contribute to the development of cancer therapeutics. His current focus in the lab is investigating the role of SMARCA2 in SMARCA4-deficient lung cancers. In his free time... What is free time?

Carla Concepcion, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Therapeutics and a member of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Dr. Concepcion received her BS in Molecular Biology & Biotechnology from the University of the Philippines in Manila. She obtained her PhD from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University where she studied microRNAs (miRNAs) in cancer and development in the lab of Dr. Andrea Ventura at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Concepcion did her postdoctoral training with Dr. Tyler Jacks at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she focused on the mechanisms through which alterations in SMARCA4, a core catalytic component of SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes, transform the chromatin landscape and drive tumorigenesis in the lung. Dr. Concepcion began her independent research program at the Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Therapeutics at CUIMC in 2022. Her lab seeks to understand how altered chromatin states contribute to cell fates as tumors evolve with the goal of developing hypothesis-driven therapeutic strategies.

Ashlyn is a Master’s student and part-time technician in the Concepcion Lab. After graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biological Sciences from Fordham University in 2023, she began studying Biotechnology here at Columbia University. Motivated by her strong desire to improve patient outcomes, she is highly dedicated to translational research in the cancer biology field, with a particular interest in cancer immunology. When not in the lab, you will find her hanging out with her dog or attending live concerts for her favorite bands.