Lab members

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Robert obtained his MD and doctoral degree in immunology from LMU Munich, Germany. After his postdoc at UNC Chapel Hill, he was recruited to Columbia University in 2003. His goal is to use innovative approaches to better understand mechanisms of liver disease and develop novel treatments for fatty liver, fibrosis and cancer. Robert is also the inaugural director of Columbia's NIH P30-funded Digestive and Liver Disease Research Center (https://www.columbiadldrc.org). Outside the lab, Robert likes to cook, travel and bike.

Vera obtained her PhD in Molecular Medicine from the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Vera  joined the Schwabe lab  in late 2024.  She combines computational analysis tools with in vivo CRISPRi sceens to uncover to uncover tumor cell - immune crosstalk and novel therapeutic targets in hepatocellullar carcinoma (HCC). Finding liver/HCC-specific approaches and concepts may open up novel treatment options/combinations. Vera is a passionate coffee lover who enjoys discovering new restaurants and coffee spots across New York City.

 Marcella obtained her MD from Marburg University and was trained in general surgery at Technical University, Munich, Germany. Marcella seeks to find novel therapeutic targets in hepatocellular by combining in vivo CRISPR screens and multimodal pharmacologic treatments with single cell-based analysis of transcriptional "master regulators" from patients. Marcella is supported by a grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG).  Marcella loves to hike and is planning to run the New York marathon in 2026! 

Yana obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands. She is interested in exploring novel therapeutic targets in cancer liver metastasis combining human data and mouse models. Yana is a food lover.

Qiuyan received her BS in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University and joined the Schwabe lab in 2021 for her PhD thesis. She is interested in finding  therapeutic vulnerabilities for  intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Outside lab, she is an amateur writer in science fictions.  She is also the mother of two cats (Luke and Leia).

Dhruv is currently a second year undergrad in the premed track at Columbia University. Dhruv is interested in both clinical medicine and basic science. After contributing to the zonational quantification in Rspo3 ko mice for our Nature paper, Dhruv is now focusing on developing novel models for Kras-driven cholangiocarcinoma.  Dhruv loves to play tennis and is on the Columbia Club team.

Deqi graudated Medical School in China in 1983, and worked as physician majoring in infectious diseases. After working in the Kandel lab for over a decade, he joined the Schwabe Lab in 2016. Deqi supervises all transgenic mice for projects related to  stellate cell biology and liver carcinogenesis. Deqi loves to cook dumplings - if you ever join our lab, you will see how good they are!

Atsushi is back in Japan pursuing his career as surgeon and clinician-scientist. Congrats again for your Nature paper and an outstanding job during the past 2 years. We miss you!

Thanks Oscar for a great job! Best of luck for your career in biomedicine.

Yoshi is back in Japan, where he runs his own lab now. Congrats on a great first and corresponding author paper in Gastroenterology and our recent Nature paper! Thanks for all your amazing work!

Aveline works in Scott Lowe's lab at MSKCC, where she directs the liver caner research. Congrats again for your 2022 Nature paper and all the amazing work!

 Silvia is an independent group leader in Barcelona, where she continues to study cholangiocarcinoma. Silvia recently received a highly prestigious ERC grant - congrats! And congrats on your amazing 2021 Cancer Cell paper!

Back in Munich. After another short stint in academia now working in a small start up and being very successful! Congrats again for your highly cited 2021 JCI paper!