People

Sara McCoy, MD, PhD, RhMSUS, is an Assistant Professor in Rheumatology and the Director of the University of Wisconsin Health Sjögren’s Clinic. Her goal is to critically inform the pathogenesis of Sjögren’s disease toward development of novel targeted therapeutics. Her bench research focuses on the immunobiology of mesenchymal stromal cells derived from salivary glands and discovery of novel Sjögren’s disease autoantibodies. Additionally, Dr. McCoy is a co-chair for the Sjögren’s OMERACT working group, that works to develop clinical trials endpoints in Sjögren’s and also leads the national  Sjögren’s provider collaboration network-“Sjo-Net”.

Eiko Yamada, DDS, PhD,  is a Researcher II in the McCoy Lab. She is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and Sjogren’s Disease researcher working on JAK-STAT pathway and organoid modeling. She is interested in immune cells migration in Sjogren’s Disease.

Michele Larsen, PhD, is a senior scientist III with a strong background in mechanisms associated with P450 cytochromes. She leads multiple McCoy lab projects and has impressively broad and deep scientific knowledge.

Ryan Adam, PhD, is a Researcher II in the McCoy Lab. Ryan has a PhD in biomedical engineering, contributing his unique experience to our work, with a strength in image analyses. Ryan has a treasure trove of wet-bench skillsets and additionally has strengths in animal model work.

Yuebo Jin, MD, is an Associate Chief Physician at Peking University People’s Hospital and a visiting scholar in the McCoy Lab. Her research focuses on biomarkers and therapeutic approaches in Sjögren’s disease.

Valeria is an MD Sjogrenologist who is working in our lab to model Sjogren’s in silico. Valeria is an MD at her home Univeristy of Udine, Italy and is rotating with our lab for her PhD. She is focused on using microphysiologic systems and organoids to model Sjogren’s.

Morgan is a graduate student in the Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology PhD program. Her research project explores neuro-immune crosstalk regulating pain in Sjogren’s Disease. 

Franklin Zhou is a research intern in the McCoy Lab and spends his spare time working as an EMT. He focuses on discovering novel antibodies in SjD.

Addie Vande Loo is a research intern in the McCoy Lab and spends her spare time in a large and colorful house. She is a whiz at working with mice and is invested in studying MSCs to treat mouse models of xerostomia.

Omolola Ontilo is a research intern in the McCoy lab, responsible for recruiting participants for the UW Sjogren’s/autoimmunity biobank.

Lizzie Hansen is an undergraduate at UW who has an interest in becoming a dentist. She is focuses on cell culture and our working with our mice to understand the effect of MSCs on dry mouth.