Mission Statement

Our lab merges cutting-edge technologies with innovative bioinformatics to perform impactful research that will help design new therapies for children with brain cancer.

Lab Values

Do great science.

We endeavor to perform cutting-edge, translational scientific research that will have a meaningful impact in the clinic. To achieve this goal, we aim to create an open environment where experiments and data can be carefully and respectfully critiqued and discussed. Making mistakes is an inevitable part of doing science, and in our lab we communicate openly about how we can improve, learn from and build on our errors to improve our work. We believe that the scientific data and code we generate should be accessible to our collaborators, other researchers, and to the public. As such, we are strong proponents of open access science and publishing pre-prints. We are committed to performing science to the highest standards and work together to accomplish this.

Build a diverse team.

We believe that building an equitable and diverse team is our ethical and moral obligation. Furthermore, we believe that the most impactful science happens when a diverse group of people work together, bringing their unique expertise, experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives to tackle a scientific problem. We recognize that a feeling of belonging is crucial for every person to achieve success. We are dedicated to creating a safe, accepting and respectful environment where all team members are empowered to share their ideas, questions, and their authentic selves. We work hard to form an empathetic and accepting community, where successes are celebrated and support is readily available. 

Support the next generation.

Academia has historically excluded multiple groups of people, and systemic inequality persists in science. We view part of our role as scientists to recognize these inequalities and take actions to address them at every stage of scientific training. This includes outreach with local schools, working with organizations such as Start Talking Science and Letters to a Pre-Scientist, and participating in CHOP internship programs. Within the lab, we place a strong emphasis on mentorship for trainees at every stage of their career, from technicians and students to post-docs and fellows. 

Lab Environment

Our lab is on the 9th floor of Colket Translational Research Building (CTRB), within the Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine (CCGM). We have a wet lab space with multiple bays for day-to-day work, as well as a dedicated tissue culture room. Our dry lab space is adjacent to the wet lab, with desks for computational work. Derek also has an office on the 9th floor, although sometimes you’ll find him in the Abramson Research Center (ARC) when he’s on clinical service one out of every five weeks as an Assistant Director in the Immunogenetics Laboratory. Opportunities for clinical shadowing (including transplantation, oncology, and infectious disease) are open for interested trainees.

There are tremendous resources available in our department and the wider CHOP community. To name just a few - the Pathology Core provides services including H&E staining and sectioning; the Flow Cytometry core has instruments in Colket and nearby Abramson; and the Sequencing Core provides technical support and machine access for a range of next-generation sequencing approaches.