Education

(2022-Present) MD-PhD
PhD in Genetics & Genomics
UCLA David School of Medicine

(2018-2020) M.S. in Biological Sciences, Specialization in Regenerative Medicine
California Polytechnic State University, SLO

(2014-2018) B.S in Biological Sciences
California Polytechnic State University, SLO

Research Experience

(2019-2022) Master’s Student/ Staff Research Associate 
University of California San Diego
Laboratory of Dr. Nicole Coufal 

(2018-2019) Master’s Student
California Polytechnic State University, SLO
Laboratory of Dr. Sandra Clement 

(2016-2018) Undergraduate Researcher
California Polytechnic State University, SLO
Laboratory of Dr. Ed Himelblau 

Research interests

Neurodevelopment, Neurodevelopmental disorders, Neuroimmunology, Neurogenetics  

Publications

Nguyen C*, Broersma EH*, Warden AS, Mora C, Han CZ, Keulen Z, Spann N, Wang J, Ramirez G, Mak S, Trescott S, Khakpour M, Johnson A, Qureshi F, La Frano MR, Mohajeri K, Talkowski ME, Corradin O, Tremblay M, Glass CK, Coufal NG (2025). Transcriptional and epigenetic targets of MEF2C in human microglia contribute to cellular functions related to autism risk and age-related disease. Nature Immunology.

Pernaci C, Johnson A, Gillette S, Warden AS, McCormick C, Weiser-Novak S, Ramirez G, Broersma EH, Mishra P, Sivakumar A, Cherqui S, Coufal NG (2025). Microgliopathy as a primary mediator of neuronal death in models of Friedreich’s Ataxia. Nature Communications.

Mishra P, Sivakumar A, Johnson A, Pernaci C, Warden AS, El-Hachem LR, Hansen E, Badell-Grau RA, Khare V, Ramirez G, Gillette S, Solis AB, Guo P, Coufal NG, Cherqui S (2024). Gene editing improves endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial contacts and unfolded protein response in Friedreich’s ataxia iPSC-derived neurons. Frontiers in Pharmacology.

Han CZ*, Li RZ*, Hansen E, Trescott S, Fixsen BR, Nguyen CT, Mora CM, Spann NJ, Bennet HR, Poirion O, Buchanan J, Warden AS, Xia B, Schlachetzki JCM, Pasillas MP, Preissl S, Wang A, O’Connor C, Shriram S, Kim R, Schafer D, Ramirez G, Challacombe J, Anavim SA, Johnson A, Gupta M, Glass IA, Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Levy ML, Ben Haim S, Gonda DD, Laurent L, Hughes JF, Page DC, Blurton-Jones M, Glass CK, Coufal NG (2023). Human microglia maturation is underpinned by specific gene regulatory networks. Immunity.

Lam MTY, Duttke SH, Odish MF, Le HD, Hansen E, Nguyen CT, Trescott S, Kim R, Deota S, Chang MW, Patel A, Hepokoski M, Alotaibi M, Rolfsen M, Perofsky K, Warden AS, Foley J, Ramirez SI, Dan JM, Abbott RK, Crotty S, Crotty Alexander LE, Malhotra A, Panda S, Benner CW, Coufal NG (2023). Dynamic activity in cis-regulatory elements of leukocytes identifies transcription factor activation and stratifies COVID-19 severity in ICU patients. Cell Reports Medicine.

 Warden AS, Han CZ, Hansen E, Trescott S, Nguyen C, Kim R, Schafer D, Johnson A, Wright M, Ramirez G, Lopez-Sanchez M, Coufal NG (2023). Tools for studying human microglia: In vitro and in vivo strategies. Brain, behavior, and immunity.

 Hepokoski ML, Odish M, Lam MT, Coufal NG, Rolfsen ML, Shadel GS, Moyzis AG, Sainz AG, Takiar PG, Patel S, Leonard AJ, Samandari N, Hansen E, Trescott S, Nguyen C, Jepsen K, Cutter G, Gillespie MN, Spragg RG, Sasik R, Ix JH. (2022). Absolute quantification of plasma mitochondrial DNA by droplet digital PCR marks COVID-19 severity over time during intensive care unit admissions. American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology.

Masso-Silva JA, Moshensky A, Lam MT, Odish M, Patel A, Xu L, Hansen E, Trescott S, Nguyen C, Kim R, Perofsky K, Perera S, Ma L, Pham J, Rolfsen M, Olay J, Shin J, Dan JM, Abbot RK, Ramirez S, Alexander TH, Lin GY, Lucia Fuentes A, Advani I, Gunge D, Pretorius V, Malhotra A, Sun X, Duran J, Hepokoski M, Crotty S, Coufal NG, Meier A, Crotty Alexander LE (2021). Increased peripheral blood neutrophil activation phenotypes and NETosis in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a case series and review of the literature. Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Personal interests

 When I am not in lab, I love playing soccer, going to the beach, and exploring all the amazing food and music LA has to offer!