Who We Are
Christina Cho, PhD
Dr. Christina Cho is a cancer immunobiologist whose research focuses on how the tumor microenvironment drives disease progression and resistance to therapy. Her journey in biomedical research began as an undergraduate at UCLA, where—under the mentorship of Dr. Sherilyn Gordon Burroughs—she studied mechanisms of chronic and acute graft rejection in liver transplant patients. There, she learned that long-term immunosuppression increases cancer risk, sparking her interest in how the immune system regulates cancer.
She earned her Ph.D. in Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology at Albany Medical College, where she investigated how extracellular matrix remodeling promotes tumor survival and chemoresistance. As a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Serge Fuchs' lab at the University of Pennsylvania, she studied immune–tumor–stroma interactions, uncovering how colorectal and pancreatic cancers disrupt type I interferon signaling to evade immune responses. She continued her postdoctoral training at Yale School of Medicine in the laboratory of Dr. Lieping Chen, where she focused on translational immuno-oncology, using spatial biology tools to study immune exclusion and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade.
Dr. Cho joined the University of Iowa in September 2025 as an Assistant Professor, where she leads an independent research lab focused on immune evasion, novel immunotherapeutic targets, and reprogramming the tumor microenvironment to support effective anti-tumor immunity.
Maneet Multani, MD
Maneet Multani, MD, is a dedicated hospitalist and clinical assistant professor of hospital medicine at the University of Iowa. Dr. Multani completed his residency at TriHealth in Cincinnati, Ohio and began his attending role in July 2024. He is passionate about education, clinical oncology, and managing complex cases. Outside of work, he enjoys weight lifting, hiking, and watching sci-fi movies.
Nazid Ibrahim, MS
Nazid is a Research Assistant (Volunteer) in Dr. Christina Cho’s laboratory, where he studies mechanisms of immune evasion and immunotherapy resistance in cancer. Nazid earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and has research experience spanning vaccine immunology, cardiovascular disease, and antimicrobial compound discovery. He is passionate about translating basic immunology into therapeutic strategies for cancer and plans to pursue doctoral training in cancer immunology.
Anna Hepfer
Anna is a Post-Baccalaureate Research Intern who joined the Cho lab in January 2025. She graduated in 2024 from Drexel University in Philadelphia with a Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology. Before joining the Cho lab, Anna spent a year studying anti-microbial peptides at Wellesley College under the guidance of Dr. Don Elmore and Dr. Louise Darling. Anna’s passion for biomedicine began in high school, when she enrolled in a marine science STEM school. She is excited to begin studying cancer and immunology, and intends to pursue a doctorate in the same field.
Etinosa Osamudiamen, MS
Etinosa is a first-year PhD student in the Biomedical Science program. He earned his BS in Biochemistry from the University of Benin, Nigeria, and an MS from Minnesota State University, Mankato, where his thesis focused on characterizing actin dynamics in metastatic cells. His research interests center on how immune cells influence tumor response to therapy, with the goal of advancing personalized and precision approaches to cancer treatment. Outside the lab, he enjoys playing chess, soccer, and hiking. He has represented his university in several chess tournaments.
Hunter Youngbear
Hunter is a Post-baccalaureate Research Intern in the Christina Cho Lab. He graduated from Iowa State University with bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Kinesiology & Health. Originally from the Meskwaki Settlement in Tama, Iowa, he is interested in understanding cancer biology, immunology, and their connections to public health. Through his work, Hunter hopes to deepen his understanding of translational cancer research before applying to medical school and pursuing a career as a physician. Outside of the lab, he enjoys collecting vinyl records, playing basketball, and spending time with friends and family.
Gillian Ofori-Ntiamoah
Gillian Ofori-Ntiamoah is an incoming medical student at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine with interests in hematology/oncology, tumor immunology, and translational research. Prior to medical school, she worked as a postgraduate associate at Yale School of Medicine, where she studied tumor immunity and cancer-associated fibroblasts. She hopes to pursue a career combining patient care and cancer research.
Ella Gelb
Ella is a first-year undergraduate student at the University of Iowa studying Exercise Science on the pre-physical therapy track. In her free time, she enjoys being outside, golfing, baking, and spending time with her family. Ella looks forward to learning much more about cancer immunobiology and is grateful for the opportunity to be part of the lab!
Natalie Nelson
Natalie is a first-year medical student at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a certificate in Global Health. Prior to medical school, Natalie worked as a research technician at UW-Madison, where her lab studied hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. She is excited to learn more about oncology and immunology from both a basic science and clinical perspective while completing her Summer Research Fellowship in the Cho Lab. Natalie plans to practice medicine as a physician and hopes to remain involved long-term in academic medicine through teaching and research.
Incoming Members
Matthew Holt
Matty will be joining the Christina Cho Lab as an ICARE Post-baccalaureate Research Intern in July 2026 and is excited by the opportunity to investigate the tumor microenvironment. Matty earned a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from USCB under the mentorship of Dr. Kim B. Ritchie and Dr. Mercer Brugler. Matty loves drawing comics, dancing, playing pool and chess, cooking, and raising intersex awareness. They also enjoy spending time with their fiancé, Mary, and their two dogs, Pearl and Luna. Matty is pursuing a career to become a Physician Scientist to investigate cancer immunology and advance equitable medicine in oncology.