Lab Members
About Florencia McAllister, M.D.
Florencia McAllister, M.D., is a physician-scientist who leads a basic and translational Immunology laboratory with the goal of making discoveries that can result in effective cancer early detection, immunoprevention and immunotherapy. McAllister has received immunology post-graduate training with Jay Kolls, M.D., at the University of Pittsburgh, where she made several discoveries in T Helpers17 (TH17) cells biology, including the characterization of the lung epithelial IL-17 signaling pathway, the dissection of the role of IL-17 pathway in cystic fibrosis, the understanding of the function of IL-22 in innate immunity. Upon completion of her Internal Medicine in Pittsburgh, McAllister pursued a combined clinical training in Medical Oncology and Clinical Pharmacology at Johns Hopkins University, where she undertook postdoctoral research studies in Cancer Biology and Tumor Immunology in the laboratories of Steven Leach and Drew Pardoll, discovering the key role of TH17 cells in the initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer. In 2012 McAllister was the recipient of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN)- AACR Samuel Stroum Fellowship and was awarded the Young Investigator Award from the Conquer Cancer Foundation.
McAllister began her research lab at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the fall of 2014. Her lab focuses on understanding the role of the immune system in immunosurveillance and immunoevasion. More recently, the laboratory has developed an interest on dissecting the role of bacterial products in modulating cancer immune responses. McAllister has received the PanCAN-AACR Career Development Award in 2014 and a Translational Award in 2016. She is currently the recipient of a K12-Career Development Award from NCI, a V Foundation Research Scholar and received the Bernard Lee Schwartz Designated Research Scholar Award from the American Gastrointestinal Association.
McAllister is an attending in Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and leads a multi-disciplinary Pancreatic Cancer High-Risk Clinic in which patients with higher genetic susceptibility for pancreatic cancer undergo surveillance and elect to participate in a cohort with prospective biospecimens and data collection with the ultimate goal of validating novel biomarkers of risk and early detection of pancreatic cancer.
Principal Investigator
Faculty in Tumor Immunology and Cancer Biology graduate programs
Email: fmcallister@mdanderson.org
Seyda Baydogan
I joined the McAllister lab in 2019 as a clinical research investigator. My background is as an OB/GYN. My main interest is in understanding the gut microbiome's effect on developing cancer.
Research Investigator
Email: sbaydogan@mdanderson.org
Robin Wright, M.D.
I graduated from McGovern Medical School and I am completing a general surgery residency at the University of New Mexico. I am currently taking time off for research as a T32 Surgical Oncology Research Fellow in the McAllister Lab. I have an interest in pancreatic cancer; specifically, I will be focusing on early detection of pancreatic cancer through HP-MRI as well as evaluating potential biomarkers for early detection. My other interests are spending time with my fiancé and miniature dachshund, supporting Houston sports (Dash and Astros) and getting to be close to my friends and family, who are all in Texas.
T32 Surgical Oncology Research Fellow
Email: rwright5@mdanderson.org
Erika Faraoni
Since I was a little girl I always stopped at every library I could find to read and bring home new books. Soon I found I loved research. Years later, I studied pituitary tumors during my Ph.D. in Argentina and ended up moving to Houston to pursue a postdoc in pancreatic cancer. I joined McAllister Lab in March 2023 as a research scientist, and my main focus is to study the role of the microbiome in tumor development and cancer prevention.
Research Scientist
Email: eyfaraoni@mdanderson.org
Thais Bartelli
I joined the McAllisterlab in October 2022 as a research investigator. My main goal is to focus on studies involving the role of the microbiome in pancreatic cancer screening and progression. I have a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences and an MSc and Ph.D. from the Federal University of Sao Paulo - Brazil - with a background in microbiology, molecular evolution and genomics/metagenomics.
Research Investigator
Email: tfbartelli@mdanderson.org
David Romanin
I joined the McAllister lab in September 2022 as a research scientist.
I obtained my degree in biotechnology and molecular biology in 2007 and my Ph.D. in biological sciences (immunology and microbiology) in 2013, both from the National University of La Plata, in Argentina, where I’m from. My focus is to understand the role of microorganisms and inflammation in the development of tumors.
I love cats, to travel and to learn languages.
Research Scientist
Email: deromanin@mdanderson.org
Le Li
I am a pancreatic surgeon from China. I joined the McAllister Lab in 2019, and my research focuses on how different diets and FMT affects immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer. I have two adorable cats, Donut and Snake Li.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Email: LLi29@mdanderson.org
Amirhossein Mohseni
Postdoctoral Fellow
Email: amohseni@mdanderson.org
Sedigheh TAGHINEZHADSAROUKALAEI
Postdoctoral Fellow
Email: staghinezhadsaro@mdanderson.org
Amirsaman Ashtari
Postdoctoral Fellow
Email: aashtari@mdanderson.org
Vidhi Chandra
I joined the lab in 2018 as a Ph.D. student in the Cancer Biology Program. My dissertation project focuses on microbial immune effects on tumor biology and its therapeutic manipulation. Although my hometown is in India, I have warmed up to Houston now. I love to read fiction, volunteer for shelter animals, Netflix and hibernate on the weekend.
Graduate Research Assistant
Email: VChandra@mdanderson.org
Rian Morgan
I am a third-year Ph.D. student in the Cancer Biology program, and my project focuses on the possible role of molecular mimicry in mediating survival of PDAC patients. One fun fact about me is that I lost my sense of smell in high school, and it’s very slowly (but surely) coming back! For a few years, all I could smell was gasoline and popcorn.
Graduate Research Assistant
Email: RJMorgan@mdanderson.org
Haoyue Liu
I joined the McAllister Lab as a Ph.D. student in May 2022. I received my bachelor’s degree from Nankai University in China in 2021. My project focuses on the effects of microbiome — especially fungi — on tumorigenesis and metastasis. One fun fact about me is that my ears can move under my control. I can let them move together or individually — but only the right one individually!
Graduate Research Assistant
Email: hliu17@mdanderson.org
Hajar Rajaei
I joined the McAllister Lab in November 2020. I graduated with a degree in immunology from Tarbiat Modares University in Iran. I am interested in tumor immunology and cancer biology. My goal is to help patients and give them home. I have six cute baby chicks (nephews and nieces) who are 1/3 of my soul. I enjoy trying various types of foods from different countries. What if we could eat as much as we want without worrying about weight gain or any health issues?
Graduate Research Assistant
Email: HRajaei@mdanderson.org
Olivereen (Olivia) Le Roux
I joined the McAllister Lab in January 2019 as a research assistant. I help lab members with experiments, maintain our mouse colony (I am a proud mouse mother) and perform general administrative tasks. Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, I graduated from Lamar University after four years as a competitive Division I collegiate golfer. Free time activities include browsing online forums, reading and weightlifting.
Senior Research Assistant
Email: OLe3@mdanderson.org
Virginia Tahan
I joined the McAllister Lab in February 2022 as a research assistant II. I have a degree in genetics from University of Moron, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since I was 7 years old, I knew I wanted to do research and discover potential treatments for cancer. When I am not in the lab, I love spending time with my two boys playing sports, exploring the outdoors, visiting beaches, or just having fun as a family.
Research Assistant II
Email: VTahan@mdanderson.org
Alumni
Pompeyo Rafael Quesada — Currently attending medical school in El Paso, TX
Erick Riquelme — Assistant Professor, Universidad Mayor, Chile
Michelle Zoltan — Field Clinical Application Specialist at Veran Medical Technologies, Houston, TX
Yu Zhang — Director of Cancer Informatics at Hangzhou Cosmos Wisdom Biotechnology Co., China
Maria Fernanda Montiel — Resident at Driscoll Children's Hospital, Corpus Christi, TX
Pinar Kanlikilicer — Clinical Scientist at Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Waltham, MA
Saumya Kasliwal — Medical Student at Stony Brook, Washington, DC
Qianfei Zhang — Senior Scientist at AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD
Jeong-Hoon Jang — Tenure Track Professor, Daegu Catholic University, South Korea
Susana Castro-Pando