Welcome to our lab.
We are dedicated to finding new treatments for glaucoma.
The lab enjoying lunch at the nearby Bio Pond.
Qi (“Chi”) Cui, MD PhD
Scientist and clinician at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to research, she also provides clinical and surgical treatments for patients with glaucoma. Qi enjoys traveling, gardening, baking, and most of all, time with her family.
Jie Wu, MD MS
Research specialist at University of Pennsylvania for more than 20 years. Jie completed her medical training in China. In addition to research, Jie enjoys gardening, Zumba, and traveling.
Khaled Safadi, MD
Khaled is an ophthalmologist from Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel. He is perusing a two-years glaucoma research fellowship in the Cui lab. Khaled enjoys cooking, travelling, listening to music and most of all, time with family.
Gifty Sawhney, PhD
Gifty is post-doctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. She obtained her PhD from CSIR-IIIM in India. When Gifty is not immersed in research, you’ll find her enjoying her hobbies of singing and gardening.
Brent Bell, AAS, BS
Project Manager and Director of Animal Imaging. Resident in vivo ocular imaging and retina functional testing aficionado with a biomedical/laser electro-optics background and experience in academic research for 30 years. In his spare time, Brent enjoys globetrotting with his family, and occasional fishing trips with friends both old and new.
Tianyuan “Ben” Yao, BS
Ben is a medical student at the University of Arkansas, and is taking time away from school to conduct research in the Cui lab. Outside of medicine, Ben enjoys spending time with his homing pigeons, some of which he has trained to return home from hundreds of miles away!
Ariana Boorboor, BS
Ariana completed her undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of Nevada. She is take time to study for the MCAT and applying to medical school while conducting research in the Cui lab. She enjoys running half marathons, trying new restaurants in the Philly area (with a penchant for sweets!), and spending time with her dog Peanut.
Anny Zhong, BS
Anny is a medical student at the University of Pennsylvania, and is conducting a research year in the Cui lab. Anny obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and worked as an investment analyst before matriculating at PSOM. She is interested in a career in academic medicine where research might play a role!
Cui Lab Alumni
Turner Schwartz, MD
As a medical student at the University of Pennsylvania, Turner worked on multiple scholarly pursuit projects in the lab. He is an ophthalmology resident at the University of Michigan. Turner competed in an Ironman triathlon while raising funds for glaucoma research, or as he called it: Ironman to Prevent Blindness!
Sahit Reddi
Sahit is a BS student at Pennsylvania State University. Sahit is applying to medical school and is already considering a residency in ophthalmology! Sahit is also an avid sports fan and in his free time enjoys working out and spending time outdoors.
Emily Lawrence, MD, MEd
Emily was a medical student at the University of Pennsylvania, and took a year out of the traditional curriculum to pursue research projects in the Cui lab. She is pursuing residency training in ophthalmology at the University of Michigan and is passionate about preserving and restoring sight.
Modupe Adetunji, MD
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania school of medicine who spent a year-out in the lab. Modupe is pursuing a residency in ophthalmology at Duke.
Jacob Sterling, MD PhD
MD-PhD graduate from U Penn pursuing a residency in Cardiology at Northwestern. Jacob studied innate immune dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases, and successfully defended his PhD thesis in May 2021. Co-mentored by Dr. Qi Cui and Dr. Joshua Dunaief.
Albert Bargoud, MD
A graduate of the Rutgers school of medicine who spent a year in the lab conducting basic science research, Albert is pursue a residency in ophthalmology at Rutgers NJMS.
Keyshla Negron Rios, BS
Keyshla completed her Master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania through the Cui lab and has returned home to Miami to pursue other career opportunities.
Kailey Bae, BS
Kailey completed her Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate studies at the University of Pennsylvania while working in the lab. She is pursuing clinical opportunities while planning on applying to medical school in the near future.
Jingwen (Nikita) Lu, MS
After receiving her Master’s in Biotechnology at the University of Pennsylvania while working in the lab, Nikita is pursuing a new career path in drug development.
Michelle Guo, MD
Michelle is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine who took a year-out to conduct research in the lab. She is pursuing post-graduate training in the Boston area.