Ben Chan, DMD, MS

Clinical Instructor in Orthodontics, Research Collaborator

In the lab, Dr. Chan collaborates in dental pulp stem cell research with Dr. Gerami. 

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Dr. Chan earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology from Bowdoin College. He received his D.M.D., Master of Science and post-graduate certificate Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics from Tufts University, School of Dental Medicine. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics and is a member of the American Association of Orthodontics, the Northeast Society of Orthodontists, the Rhode Island Dental Association, and the American Dental Association. 

Elana Knight, MPH

Research Technician

Elana is a Research Technician in the Garlick lab, specializing in the fabrication of 3D skin tissue models and the isolation of primary human cell lines for scleroderma research. She has a B.S. in Neuropsychology from UMass Amherst and recently graduated from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health with her MPH. In her free time she enjoys reading too many books and rock climbing in the White Mountains.

Fay Martin

Administrative Assistant

Fay serves as the Garlick Lab Administrator and liaison to the Dental School; tasked with monitoring the business of keeping the lab running.  Fay has been at Tufts University since 2002 working both on the Medford and Boston campus.

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A long time Somerville resident, she is actively involved in the local community. Fay enjoys gardening and working to create and preserve open “green space” within the city.

Behzad Gerami-Naini, PhD

Assistant Professor

As a stem cell biologist, Behzad reprograms somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells. In addition, Behzad has been working with human dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) which is an untapped resource of ectodermal-derived stem cells to study neurodegenerative disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Avi Smith, MSEM

Research Assistant

Avi has been working at the Garlick lab for 10 years. He recently completed his Masters in Engineering Management from Tufts University. He specializes in engineering 3D skin tissues, and customizing skin models for therapeutic development.

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When not at the lab, you can find Avi in the kitchen baking, or out on the ski slopes

Trishawna Watkins

Research Technician 

Trishawna is a Research Technician in the Garlick lab specializing in the development of 3D skin tissue. Her primary focus is the analysis of RNA and protein in disease specific cell lines. In her free time Trishawna likes to read and play video games.

Lab Alumni

Professors

Christophe Egles, PhD.
Addy Alt-Holland, PhD.

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PostDoctoral Scholars
Olga Kashpur, PhD.
Jason Defuria, PhD.
Lara Park, PhD.
Rossella Calabrese PhD.

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Graduate Students
Mengqi Huang, PhD.
Anna Maione, PhD.
Kyle Hewitt, PhD.
Yulia Shamis, PhD.
Tessa DesRochers PhD.

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Staff
Judith Edwards – Administrative Assistant
Jeremy Baskin – Research Technician
Jennifer Landmann – Administrative Assistant
Christine Kamar- Research Technician
Kamar Reda - Research Technician
Shumin Dong- Research Technician

Elana Knight, MPH - Research Technician

Dental Research Interns

Irene Lang

Tracy Gerona

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Undergraduates and Interns
2019
Kayla Gorelick
Nathan Ashby
Fredrick Birnbaum
Anna Shevzov-Zebrun

Sasha Shenk

Karina Demchuk

Josh Napier

Feven Aadhana

2018
Lev Brown
Fiona Burguin
Naftali Falk-Judson
Josephine Agamash
Simon Harris
Maya Leschinsky
Giulana Perini
Drew Sandler

2017
Tianyue Zhang