Emory University School of Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine
Department of Pediatrics

MacDonald Laboratory section navigation

Department of Pediatrics

Lab Members

Hongying Zhang, PhD

Education: PhD in Molecular Biology

zhang7@emory.edu

Hongying Zhang, PhD

Lianyping Yuan, MD, PhD

Current Project: My current major research  projects are focusing on STAT3 signaling in medulloblastoma initiation and development, exploring the interaction between STAT3 and Shh signaling, trying to elucidate the roles and mechanisms of STAT3 in Shh medulloblastoma, as well as the effect of STAT3 inhibitors to treat medulloblastoma. The final goals are to better understand the formation and development of medulloblastoma, and to provide new clinical therapeutic strategies for medulloblastoma.

lyuan2@emory.edu

Lianyping Yuan, MD, PhD

Jingbo Liu, MS, MPH

Education: MPH, Umea University, Sweden, 2001; MS, Molecular Epidemiology in cardiovascular disease, Shanghai Medical University, China,1999; BS, Medical Sciences, West China Medical University, China,1985

Current Projects: Preclinical study of WP1066, NOC206 for medulloblastoma using transgenic medulloblastoma mouse models SmoA1 as well as the Tamoxifen induced medulloblastoma mouse model Math-Cre-ER-PTC flox/flox; investigating nanoparticles and focused ultrasound to improve drug delivery to brain tumors

jliu22@emory.edu

Jingbo Liu, MS, MPH

Frank Chien, MD, MS

Education: Fellowship (Hematology/Oncology), Emory University School of Medicine/Children's Healthcare of Atlanta; MS (Biomedical Informatics), Emory University Laney Graduate School Department of Computer Science 

Bio/Current Project: Dr. Chien received his bachelor's degree from Swarthmore College in computer science. After his baccalaureate, he began his pursuits in academic medicine at Seattle Children's Hospital and Research Institute joining a lab dedicated to the study of adolescent and young adult cancer epidemiology. His medical training continued at Jefferson Medical College, followed by residency in general pediatrics at Inova Children's Hospital and fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Concurrent with fellowship, he completed a Master of Science in biomedical informatics. His formal medical training culminated in fellowship in pediatric neuro-oncology. Dr. Chien’s academic focus is in the pre-clinical and translational study of medulloblastoma metastasis through a computational biology approach using bulk-, single-, and spatial-sequencing data to correlate with clinical outcomes.

flchien@emory.edu

Frank Chien, MD, MS

Isabella Gershon 

Education: Emory University, Class of 2026

Bio/Current Project: Isabella is an Emory University undergraduate studying Biology. She joined the MacDonald Lab in January 2023 and has been an independent researcher in the lab since April 2023. Isabella is currently conducting preclinical synergy assays using two agents in single-drug clinical trials. She studies secondary activation pathway involvement in the modulation of medulloblastoma proliferation.

isabella.gershon.emory.edu 

Isabella Gershon

Alumni Lab Members

Bing Yu, PhD, Assistant Scientist, 11/2019-09/2021, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine

Kishore Kumar Jella, MS, PhD, Assistant Scientist, 03/2018-04/2021, Emory University School of Medicine

James Felker, MD, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellow, 07/2015-06/2017, Neuro-Oncology Fellow, 07/17-06/18, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University

Laura Katie Williamson, MD, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellow, 07/2014-06/2016, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University

Nicole Schlesinger McKinney, MD, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellow, 07/2010-06/2012, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University

William Peterson, MD, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellow, 07/2010-05/2013, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University

John Crawford, MD, Neurology Post-Doctoral Fellow 07/2005-06/2009, (NSADA Award Mentor), Children’s National Medical Center

Javad Nazarian, PhD, Genetics Post-Doctoral Fellow, 07/2005-06/2009, Children’s National Medical Center

Tamara Abou-Antoun, PhD, Graduate student, 07/2003-06/2008, George Washington University and Children’s Research Institute

Mi Rim Choi, MD, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellow, 07/2005-06/2008, Children’s National Medical Center

Allesandra Jales, PhD, Graduate student, 07/2006-06/2008, George Washington University and Children’s Research Institute

Halldora Thorarinsdottir, MD, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellow, 07/2004-06/2006, Children’s National Medical Center

Oren Becher, MD, Pediatric Resident, 07/2001-06/2003, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC

Arun Chopra, MD, Pediatric Resident, 07/2001-06/2003, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC

Soumen Khatua, MD, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellow, 07/2001-06/2003, Children’s National Medical Center