People – Krichevsky Lab

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Anna Krichevsky, PhD

Anna Krichevsky received her MSc and PhD degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, and completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School in Boston. As a postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Krichevsky isolated neuronal RNA granules and pioneered the work that led to the recognition of microRNA (miRNA) functions and RNA interference mechanisms in brain physiology and pathology. She performed the first successful RNA interference in mammalian neurons, contributed to the identification of miRNAs in the mammalian brain, developed the first high-throughput arrays for miRNA expression profiling, and discovered one of the first oncogenic miRNA, miR-21, that is currently a promising target for various human diseases. Krichevsky’s laboratory identified and studied key miRNAs involved in brain tumors and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Her laboratory also pioneered the identification of miRNA biomarkers for diagnostics and monitoring of primary and metastatic brain tumors. Dr. Krichevsky’s innovative research, featured in HMS Focus, NIH, Reuters Science News, Health Canal, and The Boston Globe, is geared towards RNA medicine and based on multiples collaborations. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, established to translate RNA research to clinical practice.

DFCI Profile

Harvard Catalyst Profile

Professor of Neurology
Co-Director, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center
Harvard Medical School

MEMBERS

Rosalia Rabinovsky, PhD
Lab Manager

Rosalia is an experienced cancer researcher. Her work contributes to several projects aiming to investigate ncRNA in brain tumors. Her primary responsibilities also include overseeing the lab operations.

Erik Uhlmann, MD
Assistant Professor of Neurology

As a physician-scientist, Erik is interested in developing better treatments for glioblastoma and meningioma patients, based on recent insights from our laboratory, as well as others, into non-coding RNA alterations in tumor cells.

Evgeny Deforzh, PhD
Instructor

Evgeny is interested in the epigenetic regulation, chromatin folding, and regulatory lncRNA underlying gliomagenesis.

Lien Nguyen, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow

Lien holds a PhD in neuroscience. Her research interests include drug development for neurodegeneration and aging.

Yanhong Zhang, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow

Yanhong’s research is focused on the molecular mechanisms of oncogenic miRNAs and miRNA addiction in cancer.

Ami Kobayashi MD, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow

Clinically trained neurologist (MD) and a postdoctoral research fellow (PhD) that explores the interface between cellular metabolism and complex diseases, focusing on small non-coding RNA, both intracellular and extracellular transmission between neurons in the brain. Particularly specialized in neurodegenerative diseases. Hoping to become a clinically-trained scientist able to perform translational research in the future.

Zelong Zheng, MD
Visiting Scholar

Zelong Zheng, is a neurosurgeon from China, who joined the Anna Krichevsky Lab as a visiting scholar on June 1, 2024. With a strong interest in the role and molecular mechanisms of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in neuro-oncology, I investigate how lncRNAs influence tumor biology. My work also explores their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer treatment.

STUDENTS

Abdellatif El Khayari

ALUMNI

Rachel Chau, BS

Zhiyun Wei, PhD

Rachid El Fatimy, PhD

Ramil Arora, BS

Harini Saravanan, BS

Hon-Kit (Andus) Wong, PhD

Nadiya Teplyuk, PhD

Yang Wang, PhD

Dawn Kochanek, PhD

Sabrina Absalon, PhD

Galina Gabriely, PhD

Tatiana Veremeyko, PhD

Tom Wurdinger, PhD

Ailiang Zeng, PhD, MD

Tasmin Mushannen

Sree Gongala

Shubham Kale

Shruthi Subramanian

Rathipriya Viswanathan

Deeptha Vasudevan

Athul Mohan

Paul Leyfer

Sindhuja Gowrisankaran

Anant Jain

Anya Kraytsberg

Venkatesan Raghavan

Senior Administrative Assistant

Joan Swan