PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Simon Kaja, PhD, Associate Professor
Postdoc: Neuroscience (University of British Columbia)
PhD: 2007, Medicine - Neuroscience (Leiden University)
BSc: 2002, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry (Durham University)
Dr. Kaja is an expert in ocular pharmacology with more than fifteen years' experience in the academic, biotech and pharmaceutical industry setting. Dr. Kaja holds an academic appointment at Loyola University Chicago, where he serves as the Dr. John P. and Therese E. Mulcahy Endowed Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of the Ocular Pharmacology and Drug Discovery Laboratory.
Research in the laboratory is currently funded by the National Institute of Health, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness, Fight for Sight, and industry funding.
Click here for a full list of publication.
Researchers
Vidhya R Rao, PhD
Research Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology
PhD: 2007 (University of North Texas Health Science Center)
Dr. Vidhya Rao is Research Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and joined the Kaja Lab in 2021. Vidhya completed her graduate and postgraduate training at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Colorado University Anschutz, and the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital. Vidhya contributes a wealth experience in vision and cancer research. Her current research focuses on repurposing drug strategies for ocular surface disease.
Lee Troughton, PhD
Research Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology
PhD: 2019 (University of Liverpool)
Dr. Lee Troughton is Research Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and joined the Kaja Lab in 2024. Lee completed his graduate training at the University of Liverpool, before postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Rochester and Loyola University Chicago.
Lee's research interest in on molecular mechanisms underlying ocular disorders.
Metha Chea, BS
Research Assistant II, Ophthalmology
Metha joined the Kaja Lab in 2024 as Research Assistant.
Graduate Students
Emily Krupa, BS, PVCert
PhD Student
BS: 2021 (University of Illinois Chicago)
PVCert: 2024 (Loyola University Chicago)
Emily is a first year graduate student in the Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences at Loyola University Chicago. Emily joined the Kaja Lab in 2024 after several years as Research Assistant in the Hemostasis and Thrombosis Laboratory at Loyola and successfully completing the Graduate Certificate Program in Pharmacovigilance in 2024.
Emily is investigating novel therapeutic strategies for ocular surface disease.
Candace Betancourt-Szymanowska, BS
MS Student, Neuroscience
BS: 2022 Loyola University Chicago (Major: Neuroscience)
Candace joined the lab as a MS Neuroscience student in 2022. Candace is investigating the role of endothelin-1 in reactive astrocytosis in optic nerve head astrocytes.
Lab Manager
Melanie Bollnow, BS
Research Assistant III
BS: Biology (Northern Illinois University)
Mel joined the Kaja Lab in the Fall of 2023. She supports all aspects of the research operation.
Medical Students
Varun Shravah, BS
MS2 Medical Student
Varun joined the lab in 2024. He is the recipient of a STAR Research Award supporting his project on developing an ex vivo choroidal sprouting assay using human donor specimens and was recently awarded a research grant from the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness.
Maha Kokar, BS
MS2 Medical Student
BS: 2021, Rochester Institute of Technology (Biomedical Sciences)
Maha joined the lab in the fall of 2023. She is the recipient of a Research Grant from the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness.
Abhishek Ramini, BS
MS4 Medical Student
Abhi joined the lab in 2022. His interested are in anterior segment ocular disease.
AFFILIATE LAB MEMBERS
Marianna Bacellar-Galdino, DVM, MS, PhD
Affiliate Research Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology
DVM: 2007 (Tuiuti University of Parana, Brazil)
MS: 2009 (Federal University of Parana, Brazil)
PhD: 2017 (Michigan State University)
Marianna serves as Affiliate Faculty member in the Department of Ophthalmology and member of the Graduate Faculty at Loyola University Chicago. Her research interest lies in development and refinement of large animal models for ophthalmic indications.
Graduate Student Alumni
Anita Ghosh, MS, PhD
Sana Iqbal, BS, PVCert, PhD
Harsh Hariani, MBBS, MS
Anita graduated from the Lab with her Master in Neuroscience in 2019, and her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with Distinction in 2022. Anita is now working as a Project Lead specializing in drug discovery and development.
Harsh Hariani, MBBS, MS
Sana Iqbal, BS, PVCert, PhD
Harsh Hariani, MBBS, MS
Harsh graduated from the Lab with his Masters Degree in 2020. After 2 successful years as Research Associate at Herophilus in San Francisco, Harsh recently joined the PhD program at Arizona State University.
Sana Iqbal, BS, PVCert, PhD
Sana Iqbal, BS, PVCert, PhD
Sana Iqbal, BS, PVCert, PhD
Sana graduated from the Lab with her PhD Degree in Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics with Distinction in 2024. Sana joined AbbVie, Inc. as Senior Scientist, Toxicology.
Cassidy Kessinger, BS, MS
Bhuvanachandra Pasupuleti, PharmD, MS
Sana Iqbal, BS, PVCert, PhD
Cassidy graduated from the Lab with her MS Neuroscience in 2024. Cassidy is working as a Research Assistant at Endeavor Health in Chicago.
Bhuvanachandra Pasupuleti, PharmD, MS
Bhuvanachandra Pasupuleti, PharmD, MS
Bhuvanachandra Pasupuleti, PharmD, MS
Bhuvanachandra graduated from the Lab with her MS in Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics in 2024. Bhuvanachandra joined Selagine, Inc. Research Scientist.