Our Team
Elena Piskounova, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Elena Piskounova is an Assistant Professor in the Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine. Originally from Russia, Dr. Piskounova received combined Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry from University of Oxford, UK. She then went on to complete her PhD training in Biological and Biomedical Sciences in the laboratory of Dr. Richard Gregory at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Piskounova did her postdoctoral work in the laboratory of Dr. Sean Morrison at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where she made several foundational discoveries about the biology of the metastatic cascade. She defined oxidative stress as a major barrier of metastasis and identified key metabolic adaptations required for the survival of metastasizing cancer cells.
Since joining WCM in 2017, Dr. Piskounova’s laboratory studies unique mechanisms of stress resistance that enable metastasis in order to identify novel therapeutic targets specific to metastatic disease.
Graciela Cascio, Ph.D.
Post Doctoral Fellow
Graciela is originally from Madrid, Spain. Before heading to the United States, she studied Pharmacy and obtained her Master in Immunology from the University Complutense (Madrid, Spain). Later she obtained her PhD from the University Autónoma (Madrid, Spain) during which she proved the importance of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand CXCL12, and their implication with Janus kinases pathway in naïve T-cells homing and synapses formation. She joined the Piskounova Lab in 2018, becoming the first Postdoc in the lab. Her current work focuses mainly on the role of NADK in the metabolic adaptations that metastatic cells undergo to survive during the process of metastasis. In her free time she likes reading, walking around the city, and trying to discover the most beautiful corners and the perfect doughnut.
Leona Nease, Ph.D.
Recent Ph.D. Defendee
Leona Nease, hailing from the great state of Kentucky, recently defended her thesis for a PhD in the Pharmacology Program at Weill Cornell and was the first PhD student to join (spring of 2018) and successfully defend (December 2023) their thesis from the Piskounova Lab. Leona is interested in understanding how the 21st amino acid, selenocysteine, plays a role in cancer metastasis. Her project is focused on identifying translational regulators of the cellular stress response as potential targets for treating metastatic disease. Outside of lab she spends a lot of time with her cat, Mango Smoothie, and enjoys traveling, water activities, DIY projects and roller skating.
Riley Hughes
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Pharmacology
Originally from Manlius, NY, Riley currently is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Pharmacology at Weill Cornell Medicine. As an Undergraduate, Riley worked with the Woolridge Research Group at Marist College (Poughkeepsie, NY) investigating the Laccase Mediator System, and, during the summer of 2018, he interned at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (Tarrytown, NY) in the Obesity, Metabolic, and Muscle Diseases Department. Interested in the metabolic rewiring of cancer cells, Riley joined the Piskounova Lab in the Summer of 2020. His current focus is on modifications of tRNAs, an up-and-coming post translational modification, and their role in the stress response of metastasizing melanoma cells. Outside of the lab, one might find Riley pretending he’s still a competitive cross-country athlete on the East River Esplanade or in Central Park, watching a Broadway show, or attempting to retain his Spanish minor.
Marwa Zerhouni, Ph.D.
Post Doctoral Fellow
Originally from Paris, France, Marwa obtained a Master in cell biology (Créteil University) and graduated from a biotechnology engineering school (Sup’Biotech) in 2016. She moved to the South of France to pursue a PhD in cell biology and molecular interactions at the University of Nice Côte d’Azur, where she studied mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapies in metastatic melanoma. Interested in therapeutics and using her skills as a biotechnology engineer, she developed a dual covalent inhibitor of PKM and IMPDH metabolic enzymes. In the Piskounova lab, that she joined in December 2020, she is investigating the regulation of purine synthesis and its involvement in metastatic events. She is also interested in the role of the immune system in the regulation and surveillance of metastasis. Outside of the lab, she enjoys biking around the city, discovering new Thai food restaurants and traveling around US!
Kellsey Church
Research Technician
Kellsey, originally from Waldwick, NJ, is a Research Technician in the Piskounova Lab. She graduated from Monmouth University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry, where she worked on research analyzing the levels of selected toxic heavy metals/metalloids in JUUL E-cigarettes. Kellsey joined the Piskounova lab in the summer of 2021 and is interested in broadening her biochemistry skillsets and learning more about the metabolic pathways of melanoma metastases . She will be assisting on Leona’s project studying the regulation of selenocysteine stress response in metastasis. Outside of the lab she enjoys taking her dog on runs, cooking, and traveling (especially from New Jersey into NYC).
Hannah Davis
Research Technician
Hannah joined the lab as a Lab Technician in the summer of 2023. She is originally from Warwick, NY and continued her academic pursuits as an undergraduate student at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY). As an undergraduate, Hannah studied Biological Sciences with a concentration in Computational Biology. Throughout her years at Cornell, she conducted research in the Wu Biofluidics Lab, investigating the effect of hyaluronic acid on tumor invasion and metastasis within the extracellular matrix. Hannah is thrilled to continue researching metastasis and to learn about the biological pathways that impact metastasis of melanoma cells. She is assisting on Riley's project, exploring tRNA modifications and their role in the stress response of melanoma metastasis. Outside of the lab, Hannah enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, cross-stitching, and going to museums!
Alumni
Ines Delclaux- PhD Student, the Lund Lab, NYU
Elsbeth Kane- Cornell University: College of Veterinary Sciences
Kelsey Aguirre- Junior Scientist,