Beth Habecker, Ph.D.
Professor
I grew up in Michigan and did my undergrad at Spring Arbor University there, majoring in Chemistry and Biology. I went to grad school at the University of Washington in Seattle, doing a Ph.D. with Dr. Neil Nathanson in the Department of Pharmacology where I worked on muscarinic receptors in cardiac myocytes. Then I moved to Cleveland for postdoctoral training in Neuroscience with Dr. Story Landis at Case Western Reserve University, where I worked on sympathetic neurons. During my time with Story, the lab moved to the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke in Bethesda, MD. I came back to the pacific northwest to take a faculty position at OHSU, and I’ve been here ever since. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, baking, and traveling (when there is not a pandemic happening).
Akram Taherinasab, Ph.D.
Post Doctoral Researcher
I hold a degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Islamic Azad University of Tehran. In 2011, I moved to Italy to pursue a Master’s degree in Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology at the University of Pisa, where I focused on HIV-1 provirus excision using TALEN gene editing. I trained at leading research institutions including CNR Pisa, CRUK Cambridge, and KU Leuven, gaining experience in stem cell neuroscience, spatial transcriptomics, and single-cell NGS.
I completed my PhD at Sapienza University of Rome, where I studied adult Philadelphia-negative B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL) using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and Digital Droplet PCR (ddPCR) to investigate drug resistance and relapse. During this time, I also spent five months at KU Leuven, learning advanced single-cell NGS techniques.
As a postdoctoral researcher at Oregon Health & Science University, I focused on leukemia, applying a range of techniques including NGS, flow cytometry, scRNA-seq, CRISPR screening, and s3-ATAC. I optimized chromatin accessibility profiling for bone marrow samples from leukemia patients and helped develop an improved version of the s3-ATAC protocol that enables fixation and freezing of samples prior to library preparation, facilitating broader multiplexing and clinical utility.
Outside the lab, I enjoy traveling, reading, practicing taekwondo, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.
Arianna Scalco, Ph.D.
Post Doctoral Researcher
After growing up in a little town called Bassano del Grappa in Northeast Italy, I completed my master’s degree in medical biotechnology and went on to pursue a Ph.D. in Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Padova. During my doctoral studies, my research interest focused on unveiling the role of the sympathetic nervous system in the morpho-functional changes of Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy. By conducting this study, I developed a passion for understanding the complex interplay between the nervous system and the heart and how these two systems interconnect and communicate with each other.
Driven by my passion for this field, I moved to Portland where I joined Dr. Beth Habecker's lab as a postdoctoral researcher. Here, I will focus on investigating the changes in neuronal density and activity, following heart failure induced by hypertension.
Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, experimenting with new cooking recipes, wine tasting, and cuddling with my cat.
Minghua Li, Ph.D.
Senior Research Associate
After obtaining my PhD in Neuroscience and Pharmacology, and MS in cardiac physiology/pharmacology in China, I came to the US for postdoctoral training. As a postdoctoral fellow, I focused on the mechanisms underlying brain injury due to stroke/ischemia, and later studied the effects of drug abuse on neuronal plasticity and descending pain modulation circuits. My expertise centers around ion channel physiology and pharmacology, with additional training in molecular biology and fluorescence imaging techniques.
In 2021, I came back home to Portland and joined the Habecker lab. My current research focuses on elucidating the synaptic mechanisms of sympathetic neuroplasticity in disease.
Michelle Sorensen
Research Associate
I have a degree in Biology from the Robert C. Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon, and a strong research background with extensive experience in Cell and Molecular Biology, Immunology, and Neuroscience. My skill set encompasses nearly everything wet lab-related: from primary cell and tissue culture to animal colony management to histology, microscopy, and imaging. I recently took a break from research to be a crusader for social justice in the non-profit sector, but my love of science brought me back to the lab. I’m a silversmith in my spare time, and my work is featured at the Alberta Street Gallery in NE Portland, as well as in select retail locations in town.
Sabrina Koh
Research Associate
I earned an M.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences with a specialization in Neuroscience from Washington State University and a B.A. in Molecular & Cell Biology: Neurobiology with a minor in Molecular Toxicology from the University of California, Berkeley. My prior research has focused on neuron-glia and immune interactions in sleep and neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease, using both in vitro and in vivo rodent models. Additionally, while serving as a lab manager, I investigated the potential ototoxicity of COVID-19 drugs using a zebrafish model. I have experience in a range of wet- and dry-lab techniques, including surgical procedures, microscopy, molecular biology, and computational analysis, and have experience in administrative tasks such as lab and colony management. Outside of work, I enjoy outdoor activities like snowboarding, kayaking, and surfing, as well as staying active through weight training and martial arts.
Arisa Sek
Neuroscience Graduate Student
I received my Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry and Biology from Portland State University in 2021. I joined OHSU’s Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program that aims to assist underrepresented minorities in research. There, I worked in Dr. Arpiar Saunders lab developing a new barcoded rabies virus tool suitable for in vivo analysis. After PREP, I was accepted into OHSU’s Neuroscience Graduate Program where I joined the lab of Beth Habecker. My research interest is in neurodegeneration and regeneration, as well as learning and memory.
Nathan Balthazor
Research Assistant
I grew up in De Pere, Wisconsin and attended Marquette University, where I received by Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Biomedical Engineering. In the summer of 2024, I successfully concluded my previous research venture and defended my Master's Thesis focused on closed-loop control of Functional Optogenetic Stimulation. This experience solidified my interest in a research career, with the chief focus being the end-users, in this case, patients suffering from varying degrees of neuropathy.
With my previous work relying heavily on neuromodulation and biological signal processing, I moved to Portland for organic experiences in both research and a new environment. The mechanism of action and patient-focused research of the Habecker Lab piqued my interest immediately, allowing me to expand my skillset for a future in academia.
Previously a D1 tennis player, I spend lots of time outside of work playing, following, and coaching tennis. Additionally, I enjoy lifitng, running, and reading any type of media about new science and technology.
Riley Omonaka
Research Assistant
I attended Linfield University where I earned a Bachelor of Science in biology and a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and media studies. During my undergraduate studies I joined the Habecker laboratory for a summer as a Murdock Scholar. During this period, I fell in love with research and knew it was something I wanted to pursue beyond the scope of my program. Now, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to continue to learn under Dr. Habecker and the other members of the lab.
As a former college athlete I enjoy running, doing Jiu-Jitsu, hiking, and being outside. Additionally, in my free time I love reading, knitting, and doing puzzles.
Bill Woodward, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
I am a Professor Emeritus in Neurology. I received my Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Oregon and did a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School in the Department of Neurobiology where I studied the lobster nervous system under Edward Kravitz and the visual system under Torsten Wiesel and David Hubel. I have collaborated with Beth Habecker since 1997 using my expertise in HPLC chromatography to measuring catecholamines for various projects in the lab.
Past Graduate Students
Suzan Dziennis, Ph.D.
Graduated 2003
Christina Lorentz, Ph.D.
Graduated 2010
Xiao Shi, Ph.D.
Graduated 2012
Ryan Gardner, Ph.D.
Graduated 2014
Matthew Blake, Ph.D.
Graduated 2022
Past Post Doctoral Scientists
Walter (Chip) Robertson, MD/Ph.D.
Cardiology Fellow
Michael Pellegrino, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Dustin Johnsen, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Michael Olaopa, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Ryan Gardner, Ph.D.
AHA Postdoctoral Fellow
Courtney Clyburn, Ph.D. AHA Postdoctoral Fellow
Arianna Scalco, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow
Paul Nkadi, MD
Pediatrics Fellow
Wohaib Hasan, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Richard Bayles, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Quin Denfeld, Ph.D.
Cardiovascular Medicine T32 Fellow
Joe Sepe, Ph.D.
Cardiovascular Medicine T32 Fellow