Lab Members

Eugenio obtained his MS in chemistry in 1993 from the University of Milan, Italy, followed by a PhD in structural biology in 2000 from the ETH Zurich in Switzerland. He previously held postdoc and staff scientist positions at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery until he joined the Bottini Lab as a project scientist in 2015. Eugenio is in charge of the biophysical and biochemical angles of protein tyrosine phosphatase-focused multidisciplinary efforts within the laboratory. He is also in charge of day-to-day supervision of several undergraduate students in the laboratory.

Amara obtained her PhD from the University of Kansas in Microbiology and Immunology in 2019 and MD in 2021. Her dissertation work was focused on optimizing engineered regulatory T cells to treat Graft versus Host Disease. She completed Internal Medicine residency at UCSD in 2021. She is currently a Rheumatology Research Fellow at Cedars-Sinai in the Physician-Scientist training program. She joined the Bottini Lab in June 2023. She is pursuing both clinical and basic research in Rheumatoid Arthritis-ILD (RA-ILD). In her free time, she likes to discover new restaurants with her husband and tend to her houseplants.

Jaeyeon obtained a PhD in Biomedical Sciences in 2021 from CHA University in South Korea. She joined the Bottini Lab as a postdoc in June 2021. Her research focuses on the role of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and its regulation by receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase S (PTPRS). Dr. Kim’s motto is: Stay positive, Believe in yourself.

Kensuke obtained his MD in 2014, followed by a rheumatology fellowship and earned a PhD in immunology in 2022, at Chiba University in Japan. He joined the Bottini Lab as a postdoc in October 2023. His research focuses on understanding mechanisms of rheumatoid arthritis interstitial lung diseases and identifying druggable pathways. In the future, Dr. Suga aspires to be an independent physician-scientist for patients with autoimmune diseases. His favorite book is “Gakumon no sozo” written by Kenichi Fukui, which reminds him how scientists should be.

Jessica obtained a PhD in 2014 from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) in China. She joined the Bottini Lab as a postdoc in April 2023. Her research focuses on protein phosphatases in fibrosis with a particular focus on scleroderma and on discovering novel avenues to prevent and reverse pulmonary and cardiac fibrosis. Dr. Zhan’s favorite quote that impacted her life is: “work hard in the dark, and you will shine in the light.”

Laura obtained her MD in Dermatology in 2016 from the University of Paris Cité, France, followed by her PhD in 2020 from the University of Paris, Saclay, France. She joined the Bottini lab in Aug. 2024 and her project focuses on the molecular mechanisms of specific forms of juvenile systemic sclerosis. Laura enjoys doing sports, especially running and loves the TV series Friends. One of her favorite quotes is by François Jacob: 'There is no true discovery without a touch of madness' (La Statue Intérieure).

Barbara obtained her MS in medical sciences in 2021 from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. She joined the Bottini Lab as a research associate in January 2023. Her research is focused on the role of receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase S (PTPRS) in systemic lupus erythematosus. Barbara’s favorite past-time is traveling to new places.

Thales obtained his MS in medical sciences in 2021 from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. He joined the Bottini Lab as a research associate in Jan. 2023. His research focuses on the modulation of receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase S (PTPRS) for treatment of autoimmunity. He is focused on gaining research experience and aims to pursue a PhD. Thales is a big fan of sports, especially soccer. His favorite book is “The Count of Monte Cristo” and his favorite movie is “Soul”.

Madison graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2023 with a BSc in biomolecular engineering and bioinformatics. She joined the Bottini Lab in March of 2024 and is in charge of KAI Technology Unit biobanking activities mainly focusing on scleroderma blood and tissue biobanking and analysis. In her free time, Madison enjoys traveling, practicing her French and going hiking and backpacking with her family.

Ava first joined the Bottini Lab as an undergraduate student at UCSD in 2021. After she received her BS in molecular and cellular biology from UCSD in 2022, she joined the Bottini Lab as an RA in Jan. 2023. Her current research focuses on the migration and proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis. In her free time, Ava enjoys swing dancing at venues all around LA County.

Qinwei (Jacob) Chen obtained his MPH in epidemiology from UCLA in 2024. He joined the Bottini lab as a part time research associate in July 2024. His research focuses on scleroderma and RA lung disease. The RA project is focused on citrullination and is a collaboration between Dr. Bottini, Dr. Jon Giles and Dr. Justyna Fert-Bober. In his free time, Jacob likes to go to the gym to work on his powerlifting and bodybuilding and is a combat sports fan.

Natalia graduated from UCLA with a BS in neuroscience and a minor in art history in 2021. She joined the Bottini lab as a research associate in June 2024 and works in collaboration with Eugenio. Her project focuses on generating and characterizing biologics against RPTPs that can be helpful in diagnosis and therapy of autoimmune diseases. In her free time, she likes to travel, dance, read on the beach and go hiking.

Judy is majoring in psychobiology at UCLA (expected to graduate in 2027). She joined the Bottini Lab in Jan. 2024 because of her interest in researching autoimmune conditions, especially arthritis. She is currently working on characterizing antibodies that bind to a phosphatase that influences the behavior of synoviocytes in the joints. A fun fact about Judy: her favorite movie is La La Land!

Mai is a student at UCLA majoring in physiological science with an anticipated graduation date of 2025. Mai joined the Bottini Lab in Jan. 2024 and is working on discovering new biologic agents that can modulate the JAK/STAT pathway for treatment of autoimmunity. In the future, she plans to pursue an MD/PhD in translational and immunology research, where she hopes to bridge her curiosity for science with her dedication for healthcare equity within the medical field. A fun fact about Mai: she enjoys collecting vinyl records, especially 70s/80s music and contemporary indie.

Tiffany is studying molecular, cell and developmental biology at UCLA and anticipates graduating in June 2026. She joined the Bottini lab in January 2024 working on the characterization of antibodies against receptor PTPs. Post-graduation, she would like to pursue a PhD In her free time, she likes to travel with her family and watch sitcoms while building her miniature metal modeling kits.