Team

We are looking for individuals who are excited about what we do.
Please email a description of your interest in our work and your CV to Dr. Ted Braun.

Theodore Braun, MD PhD

Principal Investigator

Dr. Braun did his undergraduate work at Claremont Mckenna College. He then completed his MD/PhD at OHSU studying the neuroendocrine basis for Cancer Cachexia. His work established the critical role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as a major mediator of muscle loss in response to tumor growth. He then completed his residency training in internal medicine at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, WA. He then returned to OHSU to complete his fellowship in Hematology & Medical Oncology. His fellowship work defined the mechanism of oncogene synergy between mutations in CSF3R and CEBPA in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. This work demonstrated that CEBPA mutations alter the epigenetic landscape changing the manifestation of CSF3R mutations acquired later during disease development.
Dr. Braun sees patients with blood cancers at the OHSU Center for Hematologic Malignancies.

When not in the lab, Dr. Braun enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, and a multitude of outdoor activities in the beautiful pacific northwest including hiking, backpacking, kayaking and bicycling.

Aliya Quintal

Research Assistant II

Aliya graduated from Washington State University with a B.S in Genetics and Cell Biology. While in undergrad, she studied plant genetics in the lab of Dr. Norman Lewis. Her senior thesis focused on producing genetically altered alfalfa plants for future studies on the International Space Station. After graduating, she became a research assistant in the Braun lab with an interest in learning more about cancer biology and epigenetic mechanisms.

Aliya also enjoys hiking in the pacific northwest, making friends, and trying new foods. She hopes to eventually pursue a graduate degree in Cancer Biology.

Itallia V Pacentine, MSc, PhD

Computational Biologist II

Dr. Itallia V. Pacentine was born and raised in Southern California. After receiving concurrent BSc degrees in Neuroscience and Biology, she moved to Portland to pursue a PhD in Neuroscience. She joined Dr. Teresa Nicolson’s lab in 2014 to study a complex of proteins that are essential in hearing and balance. In 2018, she defended her dissertation titled "Molecular composition and protein interactions in the mechano-electrical transduction complex of zebrafish sensory hair cells." She then completed a postdoctorate with Peter Barr-Gillespie, in which she developed a novel technique for imaging myosin motor proteins in intact hair cells. In 2020, Dr. Pacentine received a postdoctoral fellowship in Biomedical Informatics through the National Library of Medicine, in which she trained in bioinformatic approaches. Dr. Pacentine joined the Braun lab in October 2022 to study Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Her goal is to close the loop on wet and dry lab techniques, combining these traditionally disparate techniques into a single cohesive workflow. She is using this “humid” research approach on two major projects: 1. Characterizing Minimal Residual Disease post-chemotherapy, which is believed to cause relapse. 2. Characterizing AMLs with more mature cell presentation (“monocytic”), which is mainly seen in relapse after the standard-of-treatment Venetoclax/Azacitidine.

Itallia enjoys taekwon do, home renovations, bingeing new shows, tea, and hanging out with friends.

Madison Hall

PhD Student

Madison graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of California, Davis in 2021. As an undergrad, she studied the role of epigenetic changes in pancreatic cancer progression as part of the Hwang Lab. While the pandemic kept her out of the physical lab for a time, it allowed her to discover a love for bioinformatics. In 2022, she joined the PBMS graduate program at OHSU. As part of the Braun Lab, she is interested in combining computational analysis and bench skills to study the role of ASXL1 in myeloid malignancies.

Outside of the lab, Madison enjoys taekwondo, crocheting/knitting, and spending time outside.

Samantha Worme

Computational Biologist I

Samantha earned her B.Sc. in Biology from McGill University, where she attended courses on oncogenetics and first became interested in cancer research. She stayed in Montreal to pursue a Master’s degree in the Division of Experimental Medicine at McGill. Her thesis presented analysis of single-cell expression data from patients with acute myeloid leukemia, which while clinically diverse, displayed maturation gradients and expression of stemness-related signatures. Through her Master’s project, she developed a passion for bioinformatics and gained experience with single-cell omics experimental design and analysis. After graduating, she continued on as a research assistant, contributing to multiple projects related to pediatric brain tumors. In the Braun lab, she aims to characterize how transcription factors involved in healthy blood cell production are dysregulated in leukemia development.

In her free time, Samantha enjoys reading, exploring local coffee shops and wine bars, and spending time with friends and family (especially her mom’s Shiba Inus).

Shawn Shrestha

Research Assistant II

Shawn graduated from Oregon State University in 2023 with a B.S. in Biohealth Sciences and a minor in Chemistry and Public Health. As an undergrad, Shawn worked under Dr. Brian Dolan. There, he studied the PD-1/PD-L1 immune pathway, attempting to incorporate human immunotherapy into veterinary oncogenic medicine. He also assisted in studies investigating the susceptibility to infection of SARS COV-2 in different rodent species. Shawn is excited to join the Braun lab and learn more about cancer biology and myeloid malignancies.

In his free time, Shawn likes to bake, workout, watch movies, and spend time with friends and family (especially his dog Buddy!)

Scott Streitfeld, PhD

Postdoctoral fellow

Scott recently joined the Braun lab (January 2024) after completing his PhD in Biomedical Research Science at the Medical University of South Carolina while studying breast cancer metastasis using in vitro cell-based models. He had previously studied at the University of Florida, where he completed a master’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology while studying gene regulation in metastatic breast cancer. Before his graduate training in molecular biology, Scott attended the University of North Florida for post-baccalaureate studies in biological sciences and worked as a fitness professional in Jacksonville, Florida.

Outside of work, Scott enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, and snowboarding and likes to train for long-distance running events.

Amanda Burrell

Administrative Coordinator

Amanda recently joined the Braun lab (March 2024) after exiting a leadership position in Beverage Manufacturing to return to a career path geared toward scientific research. She brings previous experience with administration management to our lab as well as a background in biology from her time dedicated towards a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology paired with a minor in Chemistry from the Portland State University's Honor College. As an undergraduate student at Portland State University, she developed a histological protocol to measure mutation accumulation in Mimulus gutattus in collaboration with researchers at the Cruzan evolutionary biology lab. Currently, she helps support the Braun lab through handling calendaring, travel plans, expense reports, procurement, Grant applications, and much more.

Outside of work, Amanda enjoys exploring new places to enjoy food, outdoor concerts, picnicking at the local park, and camping trips to appreciate the local nature.