PRISM Mentors

The focus of the lab is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders associated with fetal and neonatal brain injury with the long-term goal of translating the lab’s findings into therapeutics.

 The research team uses region-specific human brain organoids differentiated from induced pluripotent stem  cells (hiPSC), animal models and human brain tissue samples, and employs a multidisciplinary approach involving genetics, molecular and developmental neurobiology, multi-omics  and high -throughput screeening to ask questions about genetic and environmental brain injury during development.

The lab's current research is aimed primarily at understanding how hematopoietic stem cells interact with their microenvironment in order to subsequently modulate these interactions to ultimately improve bone marrow transplantation and unlock biological secrets that further enable regenerative medicine broadly. We are primarily focused on studying the cell surface receptors on hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and bone marrow stromal cells, and are actively learning how manipulating these can alter cell state and cell fate.  

There are many exciting opportunities that stem from this work across a variety of disease states ranging from rare genetic diseases, autoimmune diseases, solid organ transplantation, microbiome and cancer. While we are primarily focused on blood and immune diseases, the expanded potential of this work is much broader and can be applied to other organ systems as well and we are very eager to develop collaborations across disease areas. The Czechowicz lab hopes to further add in the field of translation research.

Goals

• We aim to increase our understanding of the basic science principles that govern hematopoietic stem cells and then exploit these findings to develop improved therapies for patients
• We are particularly focused on pediatric non-malignant bone marrow transplantation with a strong interest in genetic blood/immune diseases and bone marrow failure, but do complementry work on solid tumors with marrow disease, solid organ tolerance induction, autoimmune diseases and gene therapy/gene editing.

Cepika Lab in the Department of Surgery, which opened in September 2025, is investigating the role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in establishing tumor immune tolerance and preventing the response to cancer immunotherapy in human solid tumors. In addition, the laboratory will explore the role of intestinal epithelium in initiating the pathological immune response in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and collaborate on the development of IBD gene therapies.

My research group is currently focused on understanding brain function and inter-brain synchrony during naturalistic social interaction. We use ultra-portable near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to address specific scientific questions with an emphasis on multi-modal assessment (e.g., behavioral, physiological, environmental setting, and eye-tracking in addition to functional NIRS). This overall scientific apprach is called "interaction neuroscience:.

My research group is currently focused on understanding brain function and inter-brain synchrony during naturalistic social interaction. We use ultra-portable near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to address specific scientific questions with an emphasis on multi-modal assessment (e.g., behavioral, physiological, environmental setting, and eye-tracking in addition to functional NIRS). This overall scientific apprach is called "interaction neuroscience:.

My research group is currently focused on understanding brain function and inter-brain synchrony during naturalistic social interaction. We use ultra-portable near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to address specific scientific questions with an emphasis on multi-modal assessment (e.g., behavioral, physiological, environmental setting, and eye-tracking in addition to functional NIRS). This overall scientific apprach is called "interaction neuroscience:.

Our lab focuses on elucidating the mechanisms underlying inner ear hair cell development and regeneration. We employ a combination of imaging, molecular, and bioinformatic approaches to investigate regenerative processes in the inner ear, with the goal of reversing hearing loss and balance disorders. Our work has led to the identification of inner ear hair cell progenitors and the regeneration of new cochlear and vestibular hair cells. Ongoing studies aim to advance the maturation and functional integration of regenerated sensory cells.

The lab's current research is aimed primarily at understanding how hematopoietic stem cells interact with their microenvironment in order to subsequently modulate these interactions to ultimately improve bone marrow transplantation and unlock biological secrets that further enable regenerative medicine broadly. We are primarily focused on studying the cell surface receptors on hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and bone marrow stromal cells, and are actively learning how manipulating these can alter cell state and cell fate.  

There are many exciting opportunities that stem from this work across a variety of disease states ranging from rare genetic diseases, autoimmune diseases, solid organ transplantation, microbiome and cancer. While we are primarily focused on blood and immune diseases, the expanded potential of this work is much broader and can be applied to other organ systems as well and we are very eager to develop collaborations across disease areas. The Czechowicz lab hopes to further add in the field of translation research.

Goals

• We aim to increase our understanding of the basic science principles that govern hematopoietic stem cells and then exploit these findings to develop improved therapies for patients
• We are particularly focused on pediatric non-malignant bone marrow transplantation with a strong interest in genetic blood/immune diseases and bone marrow failure, but do complementry work on solid tumors with marrow disease, solid organ tolerance induction, autoimmune diseases and gene therapy/gene editing.