Lab Members
Tian Liu. PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology
📧 txl757@case.edu
Tian became a faculty member at CWRU in 2021. He has a long-standing interest in the development of mitochondria-based therapeutic approaches to treat AD and ADRD, as well as the investigation of the role of mitochondria in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. The modest family that Tian establishes in the small city of Solon, Ohio, consists of his wife, son, and daughter. As a college student, Tian has been a fan of Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne. Despite the game’s decline in popularity, he still plays it on occasion, typically twice a month. Additionally, Tian derives pleasure from spending time with his family with the intention to maintain a cohesive work-life balance.
Liam Wetzel, MS
Research Assistant 2, Department of Pathology
📧 lsw59@case.edu
Liam earned a double major in Biology and Psychology, as well as concentrations in chemistry and neuroscience, from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2019. He began his position as a research assistant in the laboratory at CWRU in 2022 as part of his master’s degree in pathology.
Dina Bugybayeva, MSc
Research Assistant 1, Department of Pathology
Dina holds a master’s degree from the University of Edinburgh, where her neuroimmunology research focused on the impact of Trem2 on myeloid cells. Her interest in cellular biology, combined with a passion for travel, has shaped a career filled with diverse and global experiences.
From studying brucellosis at a military-protected compound in Kazakhstan to earning her master’s degree in Scotland and now continuing her journey in Ohio, Dina’s path has been anything but ordinary. In Ohio, she has applied her education to immunology and virology, contributing to several publications before joining CWRU.
At CWRU, Dina draws upon her diverse background to focus on the intersection of mitochondrial biology and neurodegenerative diseases. She appreciates that the Ohio climate resembles that of her hometown, Almaty – a city famously known as the origin of the modern domesticated apple (Malus sieversii).
In her free time, Dina enjoys savoring Ohio’s locally grown apple varieties, reading in any of her three languages (Kazakh, Russian, or English), hunting for antiques, cooking, and relaxing with her two black kitties.
Teresa Thomas. MS
Research Assistant 1, Department of Pathology
After completing a double major in Finance and Operations Management at Indiana University, Teresa pursued a certificate in medical studies at the University of Vermont and a Master’s in Medical Sciences from the University of South Florida. During her Master’s she started her research in cancer genomics at the Morsani College of Medicine and has continued to the Dr. Liu Laboratory at CWRU in 2024.
Medha Bhimaraju
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Neuroscience & Religious Studies
📧 msb238@case.edu
Medha is currently a third year Neuroscience and Religious Studies major at CWRU who is planning on pursuing a Masters next year in Bioethics and Medical Humanities. Medha plans to attend medical school in the future and joined the lab as an undergraduate research assistant in 2024. Outside of the lab, Medha is involved in extracurriculars such as Case Kismat and #MeTooCWRU.
Anshul Dash
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Biomedical Engineering
📧 axd815@case.edu
Anshul is a current 4th year student at CWRU. He is currently studying biomedical engineering and plans on attending medical school in the future. In his free time, he likes watching sports, playing Mario Kart with friends, and swimming.
Paul Lee
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Department of Neuroscience
📧 pyl9@case.edu
In 2023, Paul enrolled as an undergraduate student in the Neuroscience department at CWRU. At present, he is working as an undergraduate research assistant in the laboratory.
Former Lab Members
Zexi Zhu. BA
In 2020, Zexi enrolled as an undergraduate student in the Biochemistry department at CWRU. She began to work in Tian’s laboratory in 2021 and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in the Public Health Program in Chronic Disease Epidemiology at Yale University.
David Roy, BS
David has been employed in the laboratory since 2022. He is presently in the process of preparing for his application to medical school.
Viraj Gorthi. MS
Starting in 2021, Viraj has been working as an undergraduate research assistant in the laboratory. At present, he is studying in the first year of medical school at CWRU.
Pavan Kumaraguru. BA
Since 2021, Pavan has been working as an undergraduate research assistant in the laboratory. He is now a student in the second year of medical school.