Instructor

Cathy Danis, PhD

I was born and raised in San Diego, where I developed an early passion for biology and a strong interest in advancing cancer therapies. This interest led me to graduate school, where I earned my PhD in Cancer Biology, studying metabolic vulnerabilities and evolutionary dynamics of tumor cells. My current research centers on understanding how CAR T cell metabolism shapes cellular function and therapeutic efficacy. When I’m not in the lab, I love trying new restaurants, cooking, going to the gym, and spending time with my family (especially at baseball games). Go Padres!

Lab Manager 

Amanda Novak, BS

I earned a bachelor’s degree in Neurobiology from UW-Madison and then, worked in a lab where I learned basic lab techniques as well as gained tons of mouse work experience. To escape the cold and gloomy Midwest winters, I moved to Colorado and now have been a part of Eric’s lab for over 4 years focusing on improving CAR T cell efficacy in solid tumors, while also overseeing mouse work, supplies, and occasionally, sanity— often in that order.

Outside of lab, I am probably playing disc golf, camping with friends, or cuddling on the couch with my cat, Beth, pictured above right before getting her nails trimmed, hence why she’s wrapped like a burrito.

PhD Candidate

Angie Vazquez, BS

I didn’t know what else to do after graduating from college, so I started a PhD and joined the Kohler Lab for the vibes. Ha, actually, I worked as a research assistant in Seattle, WA, developing cellular immunotherapies for cancer, and I loved it so much that I decided to pursue a PhD in the field. My research in the Kohler lab focuses on how immune synapse formation affects CAR T-cell antigen sensitivity and persistence, to advance the design of CAR T-cell therapies. When I am not busy with experiments or wrangling data (and occasionally my cats), I love playing volleyball, dancing to K-pop beats, and bringing my favorite characters to life through cosplay. Catch me dancing in our tissue culture room ✌🏼

Clinical Research Fellow

Taylor Wellock, MD

I am a clinical fellow in pediatric hematology/oncology at Children's and I have an interest in novel therapeutic agents for solid tumors. My current research is investigating signaling in B7H3 CAR-T cells in osteosarcoma. I hope to apply my experience in basic science research to a career in clinical trials in the future. Outside of medicine, I enjoy cooking, traveling, and spending time outside hiking, camping, and skiing.

Professional Research Assistant 

Joshua Michlin

Growing up, I was always asking “why?” and “how?”. As an adult, I guess that’s one thing that I never grew out of. This trait sparked my passion for science, particularly biology, at a very young age. I am thrilled to get to learn and grow (and annoy my colleagues with my never-ending questions) every day at work. California transplant, living in Colorado with my fiancé and our cat, Princess Leia.