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IVAYLO (IVO) IVANOV

Professor

Department of Microbiology & Immunology

Columbia University

Ivo obtained a B.Sc. in Biotechnology and M.Sc. in Molecular Biology from Sofia University in his native Bulgaria. He obtained his Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from The University of Alabama at Birmingham. He performed his thesis work on generation of antibody repertoire diversity with Dr. Harry Schroeder, Jr. at UAB. He then joined the laboratory of Dr. Dan Littman at the Skirball Institute at New York University as a Postdoctoral Fellow in mucosal immunology. At NYU Ivo discovered that RORgammat is the master transcritional regulator of Th17 cells and that most intestinal Th17 cells at steady state are induced by the commensal bacteria SFB, which was the first example of a microbiota member that specifically regulates adaptive immunity. He joined the faculty of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Columbia University in 2011.

NAHYUN LEE

Lab Manager

Nahyun obtained her Master’s degree from Gachon University under the guidance of Dr. Hyae Gyeong Cheon. During her Master’s, she studied adipose tissue browning as a potential therapeutic strategy for obesity. She joined the Ivanov Lab in 2025 as our lab manager.

Select Publications:

Lee NH, Choi MJ, Yu HN, Kim JI, and Cheon HK. Adapalene induces adipose browning through the RARβ-p38 MAPK-ATF pathway. 2022. Archives of Pharmacal Research, 45(5): 340–351.

Kim DY, Choi MJ, Go TK, Lee NH, Kim OH, and Cheon HK. Angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonism by losartan stimulates adipocyte browning via induction of apelin. 2020. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 295(44): 14878–14892.

Jeon EJ, Kim DY, Lee NH, Choi HE, and Cheon HK. Telmisartan induces browning of fully differentiated white adipocytes via M2 macrophage polarization. 2019. Scientific Reports, 9: 1–15.

JUNJIE MA

Postdoctoral Scientist

Junjie obtained his Ph.D. from Karolinska Institutet under the mentorship of Dr. Jonathan Coquet. During his PhD, he studied how infections affect the function of T helper cells in allergy and cancer model. He joined the Ivanov Lab in 2023 to study the phenotype and function of SFB-induced Th17 cells.

Select Publications:

Ma, J., Tibbitt, C. A., Georén, S. K., Christian, M., Murrell, B., Cardell, L. O., Bachert, C., & Coquet, J. M. (2021). Single-cell analysis pinpoints distinct populations of cytotoxic CD4+ T cells and an IL-10+CD109+ TH2 cell population in nasal polyps. Science Immunology, 2021 Aug 13;6(62)

Ma, J., Classon, C. H., Stark, J. M., Li, M., Huang, H.-J., Vrtala, S., Rosshart, S. P., Nylén, S., & Coquet, J. M. (2023). Laboratory mice with a wild microbiota generate strong allergic immune responses. Science Immunology, 2023 Sep 29;8(87)

ABHILASH VIJAY NAIR

Postdoctoral Scientist

Abhilash obtained his Ph.D. at the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, India under the guidance of Dr. Dipshikha Chakravortty investigating the role of the small molecule spermidine in the pathogenesis of Salmonella. He joined the Ivanov Lab in 2024 to study microbiota interactions involved in regulation of gut immunity and systemic disease.

Select Publications:

Nair, A. V., Singh, A., Rajmani, R. S., & Chakravortty, D. (2024). Salmonella Typhimurium employs spermidine to exert protection against ROS-mediated cytotoxicity and rewires host polyamine metabolism to ameliorate its survival in macrophages. Redox Biology, 72, 103151.

Nair, A. V., Singh, A., Devasurmutt, Y., Rahman, S. A., Tatu, U. S., & Chakravortty, D. (2024). Spermidine constitutes a key determinant of motility and attachment of Salmonella Typhimurium through a novel regulatory mechanism. Microbiological Research, 281, 127605.

Raj, D., Nair, A. V., Singh, A., Basu, S., Sarkar, K., Sharma, J., ... & Lahiri, A.(2024). Salmonella Typhimurium effector SseI regulates host peroxisomal dynamics to acquire lysosomal cholesterol. EMBO reports, 1-34.

Koichi Sudo

Postdoctoral Scientist

Koichi obtained his Ph.D. from Kyoto University under the supervision of Dr. Kazuhiko Takahara, where his research focused on elucidating the function of TCR signal strength in skin gd T cells. He then worked on how bile acid pools modulate mucosal Th17 cells with Dr. Mark Sundrud (Dartmouth Health). He joined the Ivanov Lab in 2025 to investigate the mechanisms underlying interactions among commensal bacteria, Th17 cells, and nutrients.

Select Publications:

K. Sudo, A. Delmas-Eliason, S. Soucy, K. E. Barrack, J. Liu, A. Balasubramanian, C. J. Shu, M. James, C. L. Hegner, H. D. Dionne, A. Rodriguez-Palacios, H. Krause, G. A. O'Toole, S. J. Karpen, P. A. Dawson, D. Schultz, M. S. Sundrud. (2024). Quantifying forms and functions of intestinal bile acid pools in mice. Cell. Mol. Gastroenterol. Hepatol., Aug 22; 18(6):101392.

K. Sudo, T. Todoroki, Y. Ka, K. Takahara. Vg5Vd1 TCR signaling is required to different extents for embryonic versus postnatal development of DETCs. (2022). Int. Immunol., Apr; 34 (5): 263-276.

David Jang

SURF Fellowship

David is a SURF student obtaining his B.A. in Biochemistry at Columbia University. He joined the Ivanov Lab in 2025 as an undergraduate to study how the gut microbiota interacts with immune cells.

EXAMPLE ALUMNI

MADELINE EDWARDS - Graduate Student (2018-2024) - Currently, Postdoctoral Scientist, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France

PADMINI NALLAPANENI - Clinical Fellow (2021-2023) - Currently, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center

LEONIE BROCKMANN - Postdoctoral Fellow (2017-2023) - Currently, Principal Investigator, BIo2Q Human Biology Microbiome Quantum Research Center, Keio University, Japan

YOSHINAGA KAWANO - Postdoctoral Fellow (2018-2022) - Currently, Associate Professor, Keio University, Japan

YA GAO - Research Technician (2022-2023) - Currently, PhD Student, Columbia University

RUOQI HUANG - Research Technician (2022-2023) - Currently, PhD Student, Cornell University

SABABA ANBER - Research Technician (2020-2022) - Currently, MD student, Duke-NUS Medical School

LEANDRO ARAUJO - Postdoctoral Scientist (2017-2022) - Currently, Assistant Professor, University of São Paulo, Brazil

CAROLYN LEE - Lab Manager (2011-2020) - Currently, Senior Research Scientist, Columbia University

YOSHIYUKI GOTO – Postdoctoral Scientist (2012-2015) – Currently, Associate Professor, Chiba University, Japan

CASANDRA PANEA – Graduate Student (2012-2016) – Currently, Senior Principal Scientist, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

GAKU NAKATO – Visiting Fellow (2013-2014) – Currently, Assistant Professor, Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, Japan

RADMILA JANUSEVIC – Staff Scientist (2014-2015) – Currently, Adjunct Professor, Cooper Union

SHAHLA ABDOLLAHI-ROODSAZ – Visiting Fellow (2014-2015) – Currently, Senior Scientist, Celgene, Cambridge, MA

ADAM FARKAS – Postdoctoral Scientist (2014-2016) – Currently, Senior Scientist, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

MARTA GALAN-DIEZ – Postdoctoral Scientist (2011-2013) – Currently, Staff Scientist, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Omnia mea mecum porto

People

IVAYLO (IVO) IVANOV

Professor

Department of Microbiology & Immunology

Columbia University

NAHYUN LEE

Lab Manager

Nahyun obtained her Master’s degree from Gachon University under the guidance of Dr. Hyae Gyeong Cheon. During her Master’s, she studied adipose tissue browning as a potential therapeutic strategy for obesity. She joined the Ivanov Lab in 2025 as our lab manager.

Select Publications:

Lee NH, Choi MJ, Yu HN, Kim JI, and Cheon HK. Adapalene induces adipose browning through the RARβ-p38 MAPK-ATF pathway. 2022. Archives of Pharmacal Research, 45(5): 340–351.

Kim DY, Choi MJ, Go TK, Lee NH, Kim OH, and Cheon HK. Angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonism by losartan stimulates adipocyte browning via induction of apelin. 2020. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 295(44): 14878–14892.

Jeon EJ, Kim DY, Lee NH, Choi HE, and Cheon HK. Telmisartan induces browning of fully differentiated white adipocytes via M2 macrophage polarization. 2019. Scientific Reports, 9: 1–15.

JUNJIE MA

Postdoctoral Scientist

Select Publications:

Ma, J., Tibbitt, C. A., Georén, S. K., Christian, M., Murrell, B., Cardell, L. O., Bachert, C., & Coquet, J. M. (2021). Single-cell analysis pinpoints distinct populations of cytotoxic CD4+ T cells and an IL-10+CD109+ TH2 cell population in nasal polyps. Science Immunology, 2021 Aug 13;6(62)

Ma, J., Classon, C. H., Stark, J. M., Li, M., Huang, H.-J., Vrtala, S., Rosshart, S. P., Nylén, S., & Coquet, J. M. (2023). Laboratory mice with a wild microbiota generate strong allergic immune responses. Science Immunology, 2023 Sep 29;8(87)

ABHILASH VIJAY NAIR

Postdoctoral Scientist

Select Publications:

Nair, A. V., Singh, A., Rajmani, R. S., & Chakravortty, D. (2024). Salmonella Typhimurium employs spermidine to exert protection against ROS-mediated cytotoxicity and rewires host polyamine metabolism to ameliorate its survival in macrophages. Redox Biology, 72, 103151.

Nair, A. V., Singh, A., Devasurmutt, Y., Rahman, S. A., Tatu, U. S., & Chakravortty, D. (2024). Spermidine constitutes a key determinant of motility and attachment of Salmonella Typhimurium through a novel regulatory mechanism. Microbiological Research, 281, 127605.

Raj, D., Nair, A. V., Singh, A., Basu, S., Sarkar, K., Sharma, J., ... & Lahiri, A.(2024). Salmonella Typhimurium effector SseI regulates host peroxisomal dynamics to acquire lysosomal cholesterol. EMBO reports, 1-34.

Koichi Sudo

Postdoctoral Scientist

Select Publications:

K. Sudo, T. Todoroki, Y. Ka, K. Takahara. Vg5Vd1 TCR signaling is required to different extents for embryonic versus postnatal development of DETCs. (2022). Int. Immunol., Apr; 34 (5): 263-276.

David Jang

SURF Fellowship

David is a SURF student obtaining his B.A. in Biochemistry at Columbia University. He joined the Ivanov Lab in 2025 as an undergraduate to study how the gut microbiota interacts with immune cells.

— SFB —