• Diana Shi, MD

    Principal Investigator

    Diana Shi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Mass General Brigham and the Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research. She grew up in West Virginia and received her BA from Princeton University. She then completed medical school at Harvard Medical School and residency training from the Harvard Radiation Oncology Program. Her clinical and research focus is in IDH-mutant gliomas. Diana enjoys cooking, rock climbing, and playing violin when not in lab.

  • A young Asian man with short black hair, wearing a collared shirt and sweater, smiling slightly against a plain white background.

    Jongchan Park, PhD

    Research Scientist

    Jongchan is originally from Seoul, South Korea, and received his Ph.D. from Yonsei University. His research focuses on understanding how IDH mutations in glioma alter the cellular environment, including epigenetic regulation, and how these changes influence therapeutic responses. He is particularly interested in leveraging these insights to identify potential therapeutic vulnerabilities in IDH-mutant glioma. Outside the lab, he enjoys traveling with his family, watching and playing baseball.

  • A woman with short black hair smiling at a restaurant table with a cup, a glass of iced tea, and a plate in front of her. The restaurant has a warm ambiance with hanging lights and a bar area in the background.

    Akari Shiraishi, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow

    Akari received her PhD from the University of Tokyo, where she investigated mechanisms of therapeutic resistance to molecular targeted therapies in cancer. In the Shi Lab, she is interested in understanding how oncometabolites influence protein function and contribute to cancer biology. Outside the lab, she enjoys traveling, exploring cafés and art museums, and discovering new places. Having been a member of her high school rowing team, she is looking forward to watching the Head of the Charles Regatta.

  • A young man in a black suit, white shirt, and black tie smiling outdoors near green foliage.

    Alex Tsai, BA

    Research Technician

    Alex grew up in Holmdel, New Jersey and attended Princeton University where he majored in Molecular Biology. Alex has been working with Dr. Shi since graduating in 2023 and his research explores the genetic mechanisms behind vulnerabilities in IDH-mutant gliomas. Outside of the lab, Alex enjoys playing and watching tennis, playing the flute, hiking, and running. He is looking forward to running the Cambridge Half Marathon this year.

  • Portrait of a young woman with long dark hair, smiling, standing in front of green ivy leaves. She is wearing a black sweater with large orange numbers '2020' on the front.

    Christina Zheng, BA

    Research Technician

    Christina grew up in Medford, MA and earned a B.A. in Molecular Biology from Princeton University with a minor in Global Health and Health Policy. She is interested in metabolism, cancer biology, and translational research. Her current work investigates how targeted therapies influence IDH-mutant gliomas. Outside of the lab, she enjoys taking barre classes, figure skating, and playing basketball with her family.

  • Liliana Gheorghiu, MS

    Lab Manager

    With a BS in Organic Chemistry from “Politehnica” University of Bucharest, Romania, and an MS in Analytical Chemistry from University of New Hampshire, Liliana has worked in the field of cancer biology since 2006. She has since pursued translational research projects in the Department of Radiation Oncology at MGH. Liliana manages lab operations and enjoys collaboration with Shi, Miyamoto, and Willers lab members in the Department of Radiation Oncology. In her free time, she enjoys live music and dancing.