Lab Members

Xiling Shen, Ph.D.
Professor, Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology

Dr. Shen is a professor of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, CPRIT Established Scholar and co-director of the Colorectal Cancer Moon Shot® at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Previously, he served as the Hawkins Family Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Director of the Woo Center for Big Data and Precision Health at Duke University. He earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Stanford University and received the NSF Faculty CAREER Award while at Cornell University. Dr. Shen has held leadership roles in national cancer research initiatives, including serving as Steering Committee Chair of the NCI Patient-Derived Model of Cancer Consortium, Co-Chair of the NCI Tissue Engineering Collaborative and Cancer Track Chair of Biomedical Engineering Society Meeting. He also led the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) Human Cell Atlas Along the Gut-Brain Axis program and was among the inaugural awardees of the NIH Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) and DARPA Electrical Prescriptions (ElectRx) programs. As a seasoned entrepreneur, he has founded several biotechnology companies that have progressed to clinical trials. Notably, under his leadership as CEO, one of them secured $89 million in Series A financing and was recognized by Business Insider among top 16 life science startups and top 73 overall startups in 2023. His laboratory focuses on developing innovative technologies and exploring precision medicine through a systems biology approach, with a particular emphasis on cancer, stem cells and the gut-brain axis.

Bailey Ingram, M.S.
Research Assistant I

I have a Bachelor of Science in microbiology and biology from New Mexico State University and a Master of Science in molecular biology and biotechnology with high distinction from the University of Sheffield. I was awarded best research project for the Master of Science Class of 2023.  I have specialized experience in a high throughput Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) laboratory specializing in respiratory illness treatments during the height of COVID-19. Currently, I am a research assistant for several projects in the Xiling Shen Laboratory with emphasis on organoid culture, drug screening assays and generation of droplets containing organoid material for high throughput drug screening.

Ya'an Kang, M.D.
Research Assistant Professor

I am interested in the molecular and cellular biology of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and other gastrointestinal (GI) tumors. My overarching mission is to enhance outcomes for pancreatic cancer or other GI patients through translational research. My approach leverages pancreatic patient direct xenografts (PDXs) and patient direct organoids (PDOs) to tailor personalized therapies. Drawing upon extensive experience in translational pancreatic cancer research, particularly in molecular and cellular biology as it relates to pancreatic cancer progression and the intricate tumor microenvironment, I have successfully developed various personalized PDAC research platforms. These encompass PDX models, innovative PDAC cell lines and pivotal contributions in establishing an ex vivo alive organoid-based platform (OBP) for drug screening and personalized treatment selection. Leveraging my expertise in developing OBP, I aim to explore the synergistic efficacy of targeted therapy and immunotherapy in a personalized manner through quantification of RAS inhibition, tumor microenvironment modulation, proliferative and apoptotic cells and immune response.

Susmita Kumari, Ph.D.
Research Laboratory Manager

I’m an immunologist with over ten years of post-Ph.D. hands-on experience in oncology, cell biology and infectious diseases, working with both pre-clinical and clinical models. As the lab manager, I get to bring my love for lab operations and teamwork to life every day. I work with a skilled, cross-functional team, making sure everything runs smoothly and efficiently. From organizing workflows to helping with experiments and building a supportive lab culture, I’m dedicated to creating a space where everyone can do their best work and make real progress in our research.

Xingyao Li, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor

I hold a Ph.D. in cancer biology with a focus on colorectal cancer research. My journey began by studying the molecular mechanisms behind tumorigenesis, laying a foundation for my career in advancing cancer treatment. During my postdoctoral fellowship at the Georgia Cancer Center, I worked with genetically engineered mouse models to explore DNA damage responses and cancer metabolism. I further developed my expertise through an IRTA fellowship at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), where I researched the connection between metabolism and cancer biology, particularly in the area of inositol signaling.

Now, at MD Anderson, I use patient-derived organoids (PDOs) and genetically engineered animal models to develop novel immuno-oncology therapeutics for colorectal cancer. My research focuses on using PD-MOS technology in collaboration with clinical investigators for anti-cancer drug discovery, while also identifying therapeutic targets within tumor-immune interactions to improve immunotherapy outcomes. I am actively working to identify reliable biomarkers that enable early cancer detection, which can lead to timely interventions and improved survival rates. Additionally, I am exploring precision oncology strategies by integrating genomic, transcriptomic, and clinical data to enhance treatment approaches, ultimately advancing precision medicine and patient care. My goal is to transform the treatment landscape for gastrointestinal cancers, creating impactful advancements in patient outcomes through innovative research and collaboration.

Hajar Rajaei, M.S.
Ph.D. Student

I am a Ph.D. student under the supervision of Dr. Xiling Shen and Dr. Scott Kopetz, with a strong passion for cancer biology and clinical immunology research. My experience in translational studies is driven by a deep interest in patient care. Throughout my research, I have applied tools from nanotechnology, plasma physics, microbiology and immunology to enhance cancer immunotherapy. Currently, my work focuses on developing mRNA vaccines for cancer patients, aiming to create a functional model for advancing the study. I am always open to collaborating with scientists and welcome novel ideas to advance the field. Outside of science, I enjoy listening to Persian music and dancing, and I love spending time with my family.

Shivani Rao, M.S.
Research Assistant II

I have a background in bioinformatics and drug development, and I got my bachelor's degree from UC Santa Cruz and my master's degree from UC Berkeley. I am currently applying my skills towards a neoantigen prediction project for an mRNA vaccine to treat colorectal cancer.

Lei Shi, Ph.D.
Instructor

As a research fellow trained at MD Anderson, I have a long-standing interest in identifying and understanding the specific epigenetic alterations, organelle stress and crosstalk of organelle homeostasis linked to metabolic reprogramming, metastasis, and drug resistance and the fundamental molecular mechanism of systemic effects of cancer or cancer-related treatments with the hope that such insight will translate into clinical advances. Since I joined the Xiling Shen Lab, I aim to make an endeavor to bridge the gap between basic research and clinical medicine using a translational approach. I am currently integrating functional genomics, proteomic, molecular biological and biochemical technologies to accelerate the discovery of new therapeutic modalities in preclinical model systems, including patient derived xenograft and patient direct organoids models. I further aim to gain in depth molecular insights into the complicated array of tumorigenic events to discover novel therapeutic approaches that target mechanisms essential for tumor growth and metastases, tumor microenvirment and immune response.

Shaun Steele, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor

I am an immunologist with a background in innate and adaptive immune responses. I received my Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in microbiology and immunology. I have most recently worked as a lead scientist in biopharmaceutical companies. My research projects focus on immune activation in colorectal cancers. We are designing more effective mRNA vaccines and identifying patient subsets that increase antigen presentation.

Jianming Zeng, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow

I am a skilled bioinformatics engineer with expertise in the processing of next-generation sequencing (NGS) data. Having recently earned my Ph.D. from the University of Macau, I am excited to join MD Anderson as a postdoctoral researcher in the Xiling Shen Laboratory. In my new role, I will continue to leverage my speciality in bioinformatics data processing, combining it with advanced tumor models such as organoids to explore the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of cancer. My goal is to unravel the mechanisms behind cancer recurrence and drug resistance, as well as to contribute to the development of AI models for immune therapy efficacy.