Suez Lab Members

Jotham Suez

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Jotham is a Feinstone Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. His graduate work at the Weizmann Institute of Science, mentored by Prof. Eran Elinav, focused on microbiome-based rational design of therapeutics and diets. He aims to understand how microbes shape human health, promote diversity and equity in academia, and spend more time in nature with his dog Bono.
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Haley Hallowell

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
Haley received her PhD in Biology from Auburn University. Her research interests lie in understanding how bacteriophages influence the form and function of the microbiome, host immune responses to bacteriophage, and disease-mediated effects on intestinal bacteriophage populations. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, Luna, playing DnD, crafting, and watching Survivor.
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Katti Crakes

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
Katti completed her DVM and PhD at UC Davis with a focus on comparative medicine and developing animal models for human disease. Her research interests include host-microbe interactions and how they shape gut barrier function, metabolism, and immunologic response in communicable and non-communicable diseases in an effort to identify new therapeutic targets. She has a joint clinical appointment in the Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, where she is completing a residency in Anatomic Pathology. She claims life is never dull with her family, or "zoo”, which includes her son, partner, two dogs, and orange cat.
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Chinmay Tikhe

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
Chinmay is a microbiologist and entomologist with over a decade of experience studying host-microbe interactions. He earned his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University and completed his postdoctoral research at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute. His research has focused on the role of bacteriophages and microbes in shaping host biology. He has isolated and characterized multiple novel bacteriophages and also brings expertise in eukaryotic viruses. Outside the lab, he enjoys watching soccer and spending time with his wife and twin daughters, Ella and Maya.
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Jacqueline Ferri

MMI PHD STUDENT
Jacqueline is a first-year PhD student in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology (MMI) program, currently rotating in the Suez Lab. She is interested in studying the microbiome and its intersection with the human immune system. She earned a B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology with a minor in Microbiology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Before joining this program, she gained research experience in immunology, cancer, and microbiology. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her two dogs, reading, drawing, and playing the piano.
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Justin Malogan

MMI SCM STUDENT
Justin received a B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Nevada, Reno. He is interested in studying the effects of dieting on the gut microbiome metabolite production and its influence on the brain. In his free time, he enjoys board games, reading, video games, painting, and writing and DMing DnD campaigns.
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Jiaheng Jason Huang

BMB SCM STUDENT
Jason is a graduate student with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from UC Davis, with a minor in Neuroscience. His passion lies in unraveling the intricate symbiotic interplays between humans and our microbiomes, driven by a desire to alleviate human suffering caused by metabolic syndrome, particularly through dietary interventions. Outside of his academic pursuits, he finds joy in playing basketball, hiking, snowboarding, indulging in video games, riding motorcycles, and honing his culinary skills.

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Brianna Francis

MCB MS/BS STUDENT
Brianna is a combined MS/BS student at Johns Hopkins University studying Molecular and Cellular Biology. She is interested in various branches of infectious disease, including antimicrobial resistance, host-microbe interactions, and the pathogenesis of various microbes (especially HIV!). In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature, playing guitar, and singing in a premier all-treble a capella group!
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Yingying Ji

BMB SCM STUDENT
Yingying received her Bachelor of Health Sciences at Queen’s University. Working on the interaction between the gut microbiome and childhood asthma made her interested in the roles of the gut microbiome and the interactions between the various environmental factors and diseases. In her free time, she enjoys writing calligraphy, reading novels, and watching documentaries.

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Weili Lu

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT
Weili is a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Biophysics. Ever since a high school research project involving duck poop sparked his interest in the gut microbiome, he has been fascinated by the role of host-microbe interactions (not just limited to bacteria!) in contributing to metabolic and other diseases. In his free time, Weili is a birdwatcher, cellist, tennis player, and a sunrise/sunset enjoyer.

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