Lab Members

Meet our team

Our interdisciplinary team of graduate students, postdoctoral and clinical fellows, and research assistants integrates a broad range of experimental approaches to investigate adipose tissue biology across molecular, cellular, and whole-organism scales.

Principal investigator

Paul Cohen, M.D., Ph.D.
Principal Investigator

Email: pcohen@rockefeller.edu

Scientists & Fellows

Graduate Students

Undergraduate Students

Alumni

Postdoctoral trainees

Mascha Koenen, PhD (2020-2026): I. Diamond Foundation, Walter Benjamin Program (DFG), Revson Fellowship
PhD 2018, Ulm University, Germany
Current Position: Group Leader, Head of the Laboratory of Tissue Dynamics and Organ Crosstalk, Helmholtz Institute for Translational AngioCardioScience (HI-TAC), Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Heidelberg

Kaja Plucinska, PhD (2020-2026): Novo-Nordisk Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship
PhD 2014, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland

Luke Olsen, PhD (2024-2026): Harvey L. Karp Postdoctoral Fellowship, Simons Society Junior Fellows
PhD 2023, University of Kansas, Stowers Institute
Current Position: Health Science Specialist, San Francisco VA Health Care System, UCSF

Xiaojing Huang, MD, PhD (2022-2025): Rockefeller Clinical Scholars Program, Breast Cancer Alliance
MD, PhD 2017, Washington University in Saint Louis
Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota Medical School, Head of the Laboratory of Metabolic Physiology in Cancer

Yue Liu, PhD (2021-2025): Russell Berrie Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship
PhD 2021, Tsinghua University, China
Current Position: Co-PI and Executive Assistant, Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation

Tobias Becher, MD (2017-2020): Rockefeller Clinical Scholars Program
MD 2011, University of Bonn, Germany
Current Position: Chief Medical Partner & Network Lead Cardiometabolic diseases, Neurology, Diabetes, Roche

Francois Marchildon, PhD (2015-2022): Helmsley Foundation and Fonds de recherche de Quebec – Sante (FRQS) Postdoctoral Fellowships
PhD 2015, University of Ottawa
Current Position: Senior Clinical Evaluator, Health Canada

Aarthi Maganti Vijaykumar, PhD (2015-2022): Helmsley Foundation and American Diabetes Association Postdoctoral Fellowship
PhD 2015, Indiana University School of Medicine
Current Position: Assistant Manager, Bharat Biotech

Zhen Fang Huang Cao, PhD (2015-2017): Sackler Center and Helmsley Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships
PhD 2015, University of Cambridge, England
Current Position: Executive Director, Corportate Development and Operations, Rapalogix Health

Jay Singh, PhD (2015-2016)
PhD 2010, University of Pune, India
Current Position: Principal Scientist, Gennao Bio

Predoctoral trainees

Zeran Lin, PhD (2018-2025): Rockefeller Graduate Program
BS 2018, Cornell University
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford Science Fellows Program, Stanford University (Lauren O’Connell’s lab)

Sarah Szwed, PhD (2019-2023): Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program (completed PhD in Fischetti lab)
BA 2015, Barnard College, MSc Heinrich-Heine University
Current Position: Completing MD at Weill Cornell

Florence Verbeek, MD (2021-2022): Master’s Thesis in Biomedical Sciences, University of Amsterdam
MD, University of Amsterdam
Current Position: PhD student, Netherlands Cancer Institute

Chan Hee Choi, MD, PhD (2015-2021): Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program
BS 2012, University of Chicago
Current Position: Cardiology Fellow, Physician-Scientist Training Pathway, Stanford

Jingyi Chi, PhD (2015-2021): Rockefeller Graduate Program
BS 2014, University of Wisconsin
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Helen Hay Whitney Postdoctoral Fellowship, Harvard Medical School (Steve Liberles’ lab)

Olivia Maguire, MD, PhD (2016-2020): Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program
BA 2013, New York University
Current Position: Pediatric Cardiology Fellow, Physician-Scientist Pathway, Columbia

Sarah Ackerman, PhD (2015-2020): Rockefeller Graduate Program
BS 2014, SUNY Geneseo
Current Position: Science Engineering Technical Advisor, TEC Solutions

Sean O’Connor, PhD (2015-2020): Rockefeller Graduate Program
BA 2013, Occidental College
Current Position: Principal, LongwoodFund

Elina Stoffel, MD, PhD (2016): Master’s Thesis Research, University of Zurich
MD, MS, University of Zurich
Current Position: Hepatology Fellow, Columbia University Medical Center