Team of Scientists & Software Engineers

We moved to UC San Diego in 2024

In summer 2024, Theo & 5 team members moved to San Diego from EMBL Heidelberg.

2014

The team was established, to develop methods for spatial metabolomics.

2019

We expanded our research focus into single-cell metabolomics.

2024

The team moved to UC San Diego to make impact in pharmacology.

Now

Expanding our applications in pharmacology & medicine.

Theodore Alexandrov, Principal Investigator

I am an Assistant Professor at the Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine & the Department of Bioengineering at UCSD.

In 2014-2024, I led a team at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), established & led the EMBL Metabolomics Core Facility & served as a faculty member of the Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit between EMBL & Heidelberg University.

I enjoy multiplying scientific impact through startup creation & industrial collaborations. In 2010-2017, I co-founded & scientifically directed SCiLS, a company developing software solutions for imaging mass spectrometry. Since 2021, I am creating a startup at the BioInnovation Institute in Copenhagen, pioneering single-cell metabolomics for drug discovery & therapy development.

Team Members

Shahraz Mohammed

Laboratory Manager

I am the Alexandrov Team Laboratory Manager and I oversee laboratory operations and lead the development of advanced methods in single-cell metabolomics. My focus is on optimizing workflows, fostering collaborations, and driving innovation within our field. Feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns about the lab.

Lucas Maciel Vieira

Software Lead

I contribute to key architectural decisions for the software development. My role encompasses establishing the software development process, developing new features, maintaining the DevOps infrastructure, and ensuring overall software stability to support cutting-edge research.

Jeany Delafiori

Postdoc

I work with mass spectrometry and data analysis to advance single-cell metabolomics research. In particular, I apply the SpaceM method across various collaborative projects, focusing on understanding human diseases at the cellular level.

Luísa Abreu

Postdoc

I focus on adapting and applying the SpaceM method to study the exciting field of immunometabolism. My current project aims to unravel, at the single-cell level, the metabolic responses of pharmacologically modulated CD4+ T cells.

Sharath Menon

Graduate Student

I am a PhD student at EMBL Heidelberg and am currently a visiting grad student in the Department of Pharmacology at UCSD. My current focus is on expanding single-cell metabolomics to mixed-cell systems, specifically by combining it with multiplexed protein imaging methods for cell annotation. In my spare time I love going to small concerts, playing different racquet sports and listening to chaotic avant-garde music.

Bishoy Wadie