Lab Members

Anat Ben-Shlomo, MD, earned her medical degree from Tel Aviv University. Her research focuses on pituitary tumorigenesis used single-cell analysis in ex vivo and mouse models to elucidate mechanisms by which GHRH and cAMP drive pituitary cell DNA damage. As co-director of the Multidisciplinary Adrenal Program, she conducts clinical studies of novel approaches to optimize outcomes in patients with adrenal insufficiency.

Vera Chesnokova, PhD, graduated from Novosibirsk State University and obtained her doctorate from the Institute of Cytology and Genetics Russian Academy of Science, Novosibirsk, Russia. She joined the Melmed Lab in 1996. Her work focuses on molecular mechanisms underlying pro-tumorigenic properties of GH in the colon and protective effects of GH deficiency for colon tumor growth.

Ning-Ai Liu, MD, PhD, graduated from Fudan University Shanghai Medical College and obtained her doctorate from Boston University School of Medicine. Her current clinical research includes a phase II trial supported by the FDA investigating the efficacy and safety of small molecule CDK inhibitor for the treatment of Cushing’s disease.

Cuiqi Zhou, PhD, earned her doctorate from Peking Union Medical College and then did postdoctorate work at Cedars-Sinai. In the Melmed Lab, she studies molecular pathogenesis and treatment for pituitary adenomas using molecular, cellular and animal models.

Svetlana Zonis, PhD, received her doctorate degree in experimental oncology from N. N. Petrov Oncology Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia, and earned her master’s degree in biological sciences from St. Petersburg State University in Russia. She joined the Melmed Lab at Cedars-Sinai in 2003, and studies effects of growth hormone on colon tumor development.

Derya Metin-Armagan, PhD, obtained her doctorate from Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine in Turkey and joined the Melmed Lab in 2018. Her research focuses on creation of in vitro models of inherited pituitary disorders using genetically altered 3D cultures of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs).

Deepika Watts, PhD, completed her doctorate on the role of Treg cells in type 1 diabetes immunology at the Center for Regenerative Therapies, Technical University Dresden in Germany. Her postdoctoral work at the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus in Dresden focused on the role of hypoxia signaling in steroidogenesis and adrenal gland biology. She joined the Melmed Lab in June 2023, where she researches DNA damage pathways in the pituitary and mutations driving pituitary tumors.

Rosemary Moran received a bachelor of science degree from California State University of Channel Islands. She previously worked as a veterinary technician and joined the Melmed Lab in 2019, conducting lab support, benchwork and animal work.

Yujiro Hattori, MD, PhD, earned his medical degree from Keio University School of Medicine and his doctorate from Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School in Japan. He was engaged in pituitary surgery and research in Japan. He joined the Melmed Lab in 2023. Using human pituitary organoids differentiated from iPScs, he works on creating functional human pituitary cell models.

Masaki Ryuzaki, MD, PhD, earned his medical degree and doctorate from Keio University, Tokyo, Japan. He joined the Melmed Lab in 2023. He currently studies the effects of non-pituitary produced growth hormone.