I am a Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Regenerative Medicine at UC San Diego. My lab’s research program focuses on decoding the molecular mysteries that drive adult and pediatric brain cancers, particularly the notorious glioblastoma. We’re fascinated by how specific mutations and gene amplifications enhance tumor aggressiveness and outsmart therapeutic interventions, while hunting for the Achilles’ heel hidden in these tumors. Using everything from tumor biology and bioinformatics to orthotopic models, my lab is engineering next-generation brain tumor models that capture the full spectrum of these formidable adversaries. Our overarching mission is to molecularly understand and ultimately outwit glioblastoma and other brain cancers through precision oncology approaches.

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Fun fact: I love the outdoors, especially exploring new hikes during my many travels with my wife. Our favorite has been the Camino de Santiago…. Buen Camino!

I’m a Research Associate in the Furnari Lab, where I work on hands-on experiments and help the lab run smoothly. I manage mouse colonies, perform intracranial surgeries, collect and process brain tissue, and handle histology along with other experimental procedures. I enjoy learning new techniques and diving into exciting scientific experiments.​

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Fun-Fact: For years, I genuinely believed Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island was a real place- and it was actually on my bucket list.

I’m a Project Scientist in the Furnari Lab, where I study the epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms underlying mesenchymal transition, cellular plasticity, and therapy resistance in glioblastoma. I’m driven by the goal of translating mechanistic insights from my research into therapeutic approaches that can ultimately improve outcomes for patients with aggressive brain tumors.

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Fun Fact: Before fully committing to research, I seriously explored acting and auditioned for films during grad school. 

I’m a Research Data Analyst in the Furnari lab aiding the rest of the lab with their multi-omic data analyses. I obtained my Bachelor's Degree at UC Irvine, and then obtained my Master’s Degree at San Diego State University. I now work for both the Moores Cancer Center and the Sanford Consortium where my current research is mainly focused on differential expression as a result of a variety of gene knockdown experiments. 

Fun-Fact: My hobbies include playing tennis, guitar, and reading.

I am a Ph.D. student in the Shu Chien–Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), advised by Drs. Frank Furnari and Adam J. Engler . I am broadly interested in understanding the biophysical landscape of glioblastoma (GBM), one of the most aggressive and invasive forms of adult brain cancer. My research focuses on cell adhesion–mediated intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms that regulate tumor cell behavior, heterogeneity, and invasion. 

 

Find more about me from my website: sites.google.com/view/abhinababanerjee/home

 

Fun-Fact: I grew up in Kolkata, the “City of Joy”, on the banks of the Ganges, and I still draw a lot of energy from its culture. I thrive on great food, immersive books, and long conversations with good company. 

I am a joint PhD student in the Furnari and Yeo labs in the BMS program. I have a broad background in biomedical research, ranging from EMT in triple-negative breast cancer to mRNA localization in synapses. Now, I’m bringing together cancer biology, neurobiology, and RNA biology by studying RNA modifications in glioblastoma to uncover new therapeutic targets for this aggressive disease. 

Fun-Fact: I’ve spent my entire academic career at UCSD (undergrad, lab tech, and now grad student) because UCSD was the only school that accepted me all three times. 

I am a PhD student in the Furnari Lab, where I am currently studying novel therapeutic vulnerabilities associated with the most frequent mutation in glioblastoma. I received my Bachelor of Science from Kyoto University, Japan, where I studied the mechanisms of intercellular communication that shape multicellular autonomy using Drosophila melanogaster. I aim to grow as a researcher by building on small, everyday learnings through my PhD training.

Fun-Fact: Chinese lineage, Australian nationality, Japanese spirit. I enjoy playing gravicembalo col piano e forte as a hobby.

I’m a Post-doc, former UCSD Biomedical Sciences graduate student, in the Furnari lab from upstate New York with a B.S in Biochemistry from Union college and a background in translational neurobiology beginning at Boston Children’s Hospital in 2016. My work in the lab has focused on characterizing cellular signaling and DNA damage repair pathways which form the mechanistic basis of radioresistance. I try to use the molecular biology tools I’ve accumulated over the last decade to make discoveries that can help improve outcomes for GBM patients.

 

Fun-Fact: During my PhD studies, I developed an interest coffee and now roast my own coffee at home!

I am a PhD student in the BMS program. Prior to graduate school, I obtained a bachelor’s in Biochemistry and a master’s degree in Chemistry at UC San Diego, where I characterized distinct breakpoints of the oncogenic fusion protein FGFR3-TACC3, first identified in glioblastoma. In the Furnari lab, my research focuses on elucidating the cell of origin and tumor heterogeneity of Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumors (ATRTs), a rare but aggressive pediatric brain cancer, using hiPSC-derived models. Outside of the lab, I enjoy playing soccer and seeking out great food.

 

Fun-Fact: I also enjoy learning songs on the piano while singing. Most recently, I bought a harmonica holder to learn Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.”

I’m an undergraduate researcher in the Furnari Lab and a double major in Molecular & Cell Biology and Global Health at UC San Diego. I grew up in Mumbai, and my interest in neuro-oncology has shaped a lot of the work I’ve done so far, from working on building an AI tool for brain tumor detection to contributing to pediatric cancer nutrition efforts. I hope to pursue a career as a surgical oncologist, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from this lab and deepen my understanding of brain tumor biology.
 

Fun-Fact: I’ve been practicing Bharatanatyam, an Indian classical dance form, for over 12 years, and it’s still one of my favorite ways to stay connected to my culture.

I’m an M.S. student in Biology at UC San Diego and a member of the Furnari Lab, where I’m interested in understanding glioblastoma (GBM) therapeutic response and resistance. My research interests include mechanisms that drive tumor cell-state transitions and treatment tolerance and how these processes can be leveraged for improved combination therapies. I’m particularly motivated by translational research that bridges mechanistic biology with drug discovery. Before joining the Furnari Lab, I completed my B.S./M.S. training in the Caffrey Lab at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, where I worked on drug discovery efforts targeting Trypanosoma brucei. I earned my B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology with a minor in Psychology.

Fun-Fact: I seem to collect hobbies like side quests—state-level baseball, a musical drama about Mother Teresa, Bharatanatyam and Latin dance, art + IT Olympiads, and even embroidery (a piece of mine was unexpectedly featured in a school exhibition)… the only thing missing is learning an instrument (still pending!).

I am an MD/PhD student at UCSD co-mentored by Drs. Frank Furnari and Bing Ren. My thesis work uses novel sequencing- and imaging-based genomic technologies to study the multi-scale regulation and organization of extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) in glioblastoma. During my undergraduate studies at Fordham University, I studied DNA damage repair pathways––specifically mechanisms underlying a form of inter-homolog homology-directed repair––in cancer in the lab of Dr. Maria Jasin at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. After graduating, I returned home to Phoenix, Arizona, where I spent two years as an “Ivy Fellow” studying molecular determinants of drug response to neddylation inhibition in glioblastoma at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) under Dr. Michael Berens. After my nine years of graduate training, I hope to pursue an “80/20 split” physician-scientist career in neuro-oncology and palliative care while running a basic and translational lab focused on brain tumors. 

Fun-Fact: I studied philosophy as an undergraduate and wrote a thesis on defining pain and suffering––and their relationship to each other––through the lens of Stoicism and other Hellenistic era philosophies. I settled on this topic after walking ~200 miles of the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage in northern Spain, where I spent one day debating whether people can willingly choose to suffer with my course directors and other “peregrinos” (pilgrims).

​I am a neurosurgeon and postdoctoral researcher with a background in medicine and immunology, studying immune cell function in the context of brain tumors. My research focuses on understanding immune mechanisms in cancer and translating mechanistic insights into immunotherapeutic approaches to improve outcomes for patients with malignant brain tumors.

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Fun-Fact: I enjoy watching and playing basketball in my free time.

I am an undergraduate Public Health major at UC San Diego. My work in lab focuses on glioblastoma (GBM) heterogeneity, with a particular emphasis on the transitional nature of GBM cells across molecular subtypes. I have had a long-standing interest in neuro-oncology; however, my research journey only began in the summer of 2024 at the UCSF Raleigh Lab. I spent two summers there and contributed to a project investigating the role of hormone signaling in meningioma growth and tumorigenesis. In addition to research, I am a certified Medical Assistant and worked in a UCSF-affiliated pediatric clinic. I aspire to integrate my interests in pediatrics and oncology in my future career. 

Fun-Fact: In high school I studied ballet on a pre-professional track for over 10 years and had the opportunity to spend two months as a boarding student at the Boston Ballet School. (I still have all of ‘The T’ lines memorized from exploring the city)

I am a MS student in bioengineering at UCSD. I earned my bachelor of science in biochemistry at Case Western Reserve University, and in the previous lab my research focused on neurodegenerative diseases. I’m interested in neuroscience and brain tumor. Currently in the Furnari Lab I’m studying Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumors (ATRTs) by modulating the expression of the key gene SMARCB1 in neural crest cell and neural progenitor cell model.

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Fun-Fact: I like playing Nintendo games, currently Splatoon3 is my favorite.