Members of the O'Connor Lab

Dr. Kevin C. O’Connor is an associate professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine. He earned a BS in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and his PhD in biochemistry from Tufts Medical School. He took his post-doctoral training in immunology at Harvard Medical School, where he also spent several years on the faculty as an assistant professor. His investigative interests are in human translational immunology and neurology. He and his group are specifically interested in defining the mechanisms by which B cells, and the antibodies they produce, affect tissue damage in autoimmunity. To this end, they are engaged in understanding how particular B cell subsets initiate and sustain autoimmunity.

I am an early-career researcher committed to advancing the understanding of autoimmunity and rare diseases. I began my academic training in Paraguay, earning a bachelor of science in medical biochemistry. Motivated by a passion for immunology, I pursued an MSc in molecular and Cellular Biology at Sorbonne University in Paris, focusing on immunotherapies and vaccine development. I continued at Sorbonne University for a PhD in immunology under Dr. Rozen Le Panse, investigating the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stromal cells to modulate immune system dysregulation using myasthenia gravis as a model. As a postdoctoral associate in the O'Connor Lab, I study the molecular and immunological mechanisms underlying myasthenia gravis subtypes and explore the autoimmune nature of other neurological diseases. My goal is to translate these findings into impactful interventions.

Kangzhi Chen is a final-year medical student from Xiangya School of Medicine in China. He is currently attending the Program to Advance Leadership and Scholarship at Yale School of Medicine, after which he will earn his medical degree. In 2020, his strong interest led him to specialize in neurology, with a focus on neuro-immunology. Since then, he has accumulated clinical experience during internships and engaged in several research projects on the clinical management and pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis (MG) under the guidance of Professor Huan Yang from Xiangya Hospital, Central South University. In the O'Connor Lab, he has been investigating the pathogenic mechanisms of B cells and autoantibodies in MG through the lens of human translational immunology.

I earned by bachelor's degree in cell and molecular biology from Isfahan University in Iran, and my PhD in molecular genetics with a special interest in neuroimmunology research from Tarbiat Modares University (TMU) in Tehran, Iran. During graduate school, I investigated the genetic basis of multiple sclerosis, with a particular focus on the function long noncoding RNAs, employing both cellular and translational approaches. Previously, I held positions as a research assistant at TMY and as a R&D coordinator in a medical laboratory. On the journey to fulfilling my academic goals, I have joined the O'Connor Lab as a postdoctoral associated in neurology to explore the role of B cells in myasthenia gravis pathology through translational research.

Surabhi is an undergraduate student (class of 2026) in Ezra Stiles College at Yale University where she plans to pursue a degree in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology on the neurobiology track aspiring to eventually join the medical profession as a physician. Surabhi is originally from Tallahassee, FL where she attended Lawton Chiles High School and conducted research at the University of Pennsylvania and Florida State University in immunology and cell biology. She is very excited to continue exploring her passion for neuroimmunology in the O’Connor Lab and gain new skills and insights into neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).

I am an early-career neurologist with a strong interest in autoimmune neurological diseases. I completed clinical training at Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic Hospital in Rome. During the course of my residency, I have reconciled my interests in neurology and immunology through the study of autoimmune neurology. Working closely with Raffaele Iorio, MD, PhD and professor Amelia Evoli, MD, I have developed a special focus on patients with myasthenia gravis, paraneoplastic neurological syndromes, and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. During my residency, I have acquired experience in detection methods for neural autoantibodies and evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of a tissue-based assay in suspected cases of autoimmune encephalitis. In the O'Connor Lab, I am enthusiastic about delving into human autoimmunity through a translational approach, as well as gaining new insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying antibody-mediated neurological diseases.

Sarah graduated from Carleton College in 2018 with a BA in biology and a minor in neuroscience and Japanese. At Carleton she worked in the lab of Debby Walser-Kuntz, PhD studying neutrophil recruitment to sites of injury in a zebrafish model. After graduating, she worked for two years as a research assistant in Richard Axel's lab at Columbia University, where she focused on trying to understand how odorant identity is encoded in the piriform cortex. Sarah began her graduate studies in immunobiology at Yale in 2020, where she is co-mentored by Kevin O'Connor, PhD and Lauren Sansing, MD and studies the role that B cells play in the brain post stroke, utilizing both human samples and mouse models.

Anjali J. Panicker earned her bachelor of engineering in biotechnology from the University of Mumbai. Pursuing her interest in medical sciences, she earned her master's degree in medical biotechnology from the University of Illinois Chicago. There, she investigated antigen-specific tolerance in autoimmunity and was first exposed to the complexities of human immunology. Realizing there was more to uncover, she went on to earn her PhD in immunology from the Mayo Clinic. Her thesis project uncovered novel protein antigens in heart transplant patients with different rejection pathologies. Furthermore, she showed how antibodies to some of these antigens might damage the graft endothelium and mediate rejection pathologies. To further understand the mechanism of antibody-mediated tissue damage, Anjali joined the O'Connor Lab, where she is focused on defining the immunopathology of human autoantibody-mediated demyelinating diseases driven by pathogenic B cells and the antibodies they produce. A biotechnology engineer turned translational immunologist, Anjali's training and research have focused on applying protein biochemistry, cellular biology, and molecular biology to investigate immune mechanisms to human diseases. This aligns with her career goal of developing translational technologies to study the immune system and improve autoimmune neurological disease management in the clinic.

I have just concluded my third year of medicine at the Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in Germany. Before diving into my studies, I had the opportunity to spend one year in Zambia doing volunteer work, which further expanded my interest in new experiences abroad and in developing different connections. I have also had the pleasure of being part of an education mentorship group affiliated with my university for pupils in Halle's high schools. Now that I am at the halfway point in my studies, I have very excited about expanding my knowledge regarding the behavior of B cells and exploring the filed of human translational immunology research in the O'Connor Lab for the upcoming year, as well as gaining insight from experts and young professionals.

Minh received his BS in biochemistry and BA in chemical biology from Brandeis University in 2016, where he also finished his undergraduate thesis in the laboratory of Christopher Miller, PhD. In the following three years, Minh took interests in neuroimmunology and joined the laboratory of Howard Weiner, MD at the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases (ARCND) at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. There, he focused on a project determining the transcriptional gene signatures of various Th17 cell subsets implicated in autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. In 2019, Minh matriculated into Yale's Immunobiology PhD graduate program and subsequently joined the O'Connor Lab in May 2020. His investigative interests are in human translational immunology, particularly in B cells, antibodies, and their associated mechanisms of pathology in autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG). His research integrates multiple clinical trials in order to answer questions that will inform clinicians, and help improve therapeutic strategies for patients with serious illnesses.  Outside of the lab, Minh enjoys cooking, fitness, hiking, and attending live music events. Minh is also a freelance wedding photographer and videographer.

Dr Bhaskar Roy is a specialist in neuromuscular disorders. His clinical areas of expertise includes muscular dystrophies, inflammatory myopathies (polymyositis, dermatomyositis, inclusion body myositis), autoimmune neuromuscular disorders, including inflammatory neuropathies. He did his neurology residency from the University of Connecticut and completed his fellowship from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. He is board certified in neurology (2016) and neuromuscular medicine (2018) by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) and in electrodiagnostic medicine (2018), and in Neuromuscular Ultrasound (2020) by the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine (ABEM).

Annabel is a junior in Trumbull College at Yale University majoring in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology on the Neurobiology track. In the O'Connor Lab, she works closely with Dr. Gianvito Masi to study B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases such as myasthenia gravis. She is passionate about exploring the mechanisms of autoimmunity and loves the translational aspect of her work in the lab. In the future, Annabel hopes to pursue a career as a physician with a focus on autoimmune neurological diseases.

Soumya Yandamuri, MSE, PhD is a trained biomedical engineer investigating the immunopathogenesis of autoimmune neurologic diseases. Her research focuses on the cytotoxic capabilities of neurologic autoantibodies and natural killer cells in autoimmune demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system, including neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Dr. Yandamuri conducted her postdoctoral training as a Yale Center for Clinical Investigation and National Multiple Sclerosis Society fellow in the laboratory of Professor Kevin C. O'Connor in the Yale School of Medicine. Previously, she attained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and subsequently conducted her doctoral studies as a NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral NRSA Fellow in the Laboratory of Professor Thomas E. Lane, then at the University of Utah, where she studied protective neural stem cells and microglia in a coronavirus-based model of demyelination. Dr. Yandamuri has trained in immunology, neurobiology, virology, and advanced imaging techniques, and has previously worked in industry as a researcher and consultant.

Lindsay has more than twelve years of administrative experience within Yale University. She has been working in the Neurology Department since 2021. Lindsay supports the Sansing Lab, O'Connor Lab, and Pitt Lab.