Researchers
Below are researchers funded by the Kenneth Rainin Foundation who are working in immunity and inflammation.

Hyun Jung Kim, PhD
Assistant Professor, Cleveland Clinic, Current Grantee
The Kim lab emulates host-microbiome interactions that orchestrate intestinal homeostasis and disease development. They develop “Personalized Disease-on-a-Chip” models by integrating patient-derived organoids, microbiomes and immune cells.

Meghan Koch, PhD
Assistant Professor, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Current Grantee
The Koch lab studies maternal-fetal interactions, focusing on immunity, metabolism and the microbiota. They are working to identify novel pathways through which maternal-offspring interactions regulate neonatal health.

Alison Kohan, PhD
Associate Professor, University of Pittsburgh, Former Grantee
The Kohan lab focuses on the role of lipoproteins in regulating cellular metabolism in the immune system and the intestine, and the consequences for human disease.

Adam Lacy-Hulbert, PhD
Associate Member, Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Current Grantee
The Lacy-Hulbert lab works to understand how different aspects of the immune system cooperate to identify and combat potentially infectious organisms while preventing immune attack against innocuous microbes or the body’s own self.

Xin Li, PhD
Assistant Professor, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Current Grantee
Dr. Li’s lab aims to identify novel microbial effectors and host determinants involved in fungal and bacterial sensing through interdisciplinary approaches, including biochemistry, CRISPR-based genetic editing, in vitro screening, high-resolution imaging, animal models, and human patient…

Amy Lightner, MD
Professor, Scripps Research, Former Grantee
Dr. Lightner specializes in colon and rectal surgery. She is advancing research on regenerative cellular and acellular based therapeutic approaches to offer her Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients non-surgical alternatives.