
Team

Xu Zhou, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Xu Zhou is a Principal Investigator in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Xu is also an Associate Member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Xu grew up in Beijing, China. He earned a B.S. from Peking University and then obtained a Ph.D. with Dr. Erin O’Shea in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University, studying systems biology and transcriptional regulation. He then completed his postdoctoral training with Dr. Ruslan Medzhitov in the Department of Immunobiology at Yale University School of Medicine, investigating the mechanisms of tissue homeostasis and inflammation, with a focus on macrophages and fibroblasts. Since 2021, the Zhou Lab is interested in understanding how immune cells communicate with their neighbors and surrounding environment to control tissue homeostasis and inflammation. Outside the lab, Xu enjoys outdoor activities, board games and playing fantasy football.

Stephanie Hajjar, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Stephanie was born in Ottawa, Canada and grew up in Beirut, Lebanon. In 2014, She moved back to Canada and completed her B.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences with Honours at University of Ottawa. She later pursued a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology at U Ottawa, studying immune regulation in a murine model of IBD. After joining the Zhou lab in September of 2022, Stephanie has been exploring how environmental sensing impacts immune cell regulation, tissue homeostasis and inflammation. Outside of research, She enjoy family gatherings, walks in nature, exploring new cuisines and swimming!

Zhongyang Wu, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Zhongyang is an authentic Hakka. He grew up in Jiangxi Province, China and earned his B.S. from Nanchang University. He then pursued his Ph.D. at Tsinghua University, studying epigenetic mechanism in mammalian histone. Zhongyang joined the Zhou lab since September 2021. He is studying how immune cells interact with stromal cells. Outside of science, he enjoys calligraphy, cooking and playing badminton.

Yu Hong, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Yu grew up in Zhejiang, China and completed his B.S. from Jilin University. He later pursued a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing (NIBS), studying CRISPR based genome engineering and tumor immunology. Yu joined the Zhou Lab in August 2023. Taking advantages of the CRISPR based genome-wide screening, Yu is exploring molecules involved in interactions between immune cells and stromal cells. Outside of science, he enjoys playing chess, traveling and spending time with family.

Cathleen Krabak
Graduate Student
Email: ckrabak@fas.harvard.edu
Cathleen is a first year PhD student in the Immunology Program at Harvard Medical School. She grew up in Buffalo, New York, and earned a B.S. in Biology from Davidson College. At Davidson, Cathleen studied how crosstalk between gut microbiota and the adaptive immune system directs T cell homeostasis. Currently, she is investigating how immune cells respond to microbiome-driven perturbations in environmental pH. Outside the lab, Cathleen enjoys painting, skiing, spending time with friends, and trying new coffee shops around Boston.

Bilasan Hammo M.D.
Pediatric GI Fellow
Bilasan is a Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellow at Boston Children's Hospital. She grew up both in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Bilasan completed her medical school training in Amman, Jordan, and her pediatric residency at Cleveland Clinic Children's. Bilasan joined the Zhou Lab in July of 2024 and is looking forward to learning about the mechanisms of tissue inflammation and combining that with her interests in IBD. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family, hiking, baking and crocheting!

Diya Anand
Research Assistant
Diya Anand grew up in Andover, Massachusetts. She graduated with a B.S. in Biology, on the pre-med track from the University of New Hampshire. Diya joined the Zhou Lab in June of 2021 and is looking forward to learning and continuing her newfound interest in research. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family, traveling, baking and exploring new cuisines!

Diana Leung, M.S.
Computation Specialist
Diana is a Research fellow joining the Zhou lab in the summer of 2022 through New Science ( joint with Ordovas-montanes lab). She grew up in central Jersey, went to Rutgers University to get a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, and recently graduated with an M.S. in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics from Yale University. She is particularly intrigued by questions in complex adaptive systems and evo-devo. Since September 2022, Diana has continued her work to explore emergent properties associated with complex systems. Outside of research, she enjoys traveling, reading walls of text, and mundane conversations about figuring things out.

Zhe Zhong
Graduate Student
Email: zhe_zhong@g.harvard.edu
Zhe is a PhD student in the Harvard BBS program. He comes from Peking University with a Biological Science BS and a second major in Psychology. After graduation he joined Aaron Ring's lab at Yale University as a postgraduate associate, working on cytokine engineering and cancer immunotherapy. He joined the Zhou Lab in the summer of 2024, and he is interested in understanding the behavior of immune cells when they are in complicated cellular and environmental contexts. Outside of research, Zhe enjoys music, board games, watching reality TV shows, and playing frisbee!

Ingrid Cobbinah
Research Intern
Ingrid is a student at Northeastern University and she joined the lab in summer of 2023!
Zhou Lab Alumni
Caroline Canavan
caroline.canavan24@gmail.com
Undergraduate Research Intern, Summer 2024
Maeesha Tasnim Naomi
naomi22m@mtholyoke.edu
Undergraduate Research Intern, Summer 2023
Shichao Gao
g.shichao@wustl.edu
Research Intern, Summer 2023
Affiliated members
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Bin Bao, Ph.D.
Postdoc fellow
Bin is a postdoctoral research fellow in Dr. Scott Snapper's lab in the GI Division at Boston Children's Hospital. Bin is also a core scientist directing FACS core at the Harvard Digestive Diseases Center (HDDC). Bin received his Ph.D. from the School of Life Science at Sun Yat-sen University. He has a strong interest in development, metabolism, microbiome, and mucosal immunology. He is currently investigating how gut microbial product modulates mucosal immune cells, aiming to find a new therapeutic method for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) patients. Working with Bin, the lab is exploring the roles of pH sensing in intestinal homeostasis and inflammation. Outside of lab, Bin likes reading and playing chess games.