Sharmin Sultana
Education:
B.A. Hunter College (2021)
Advisor:
Lonnie Wollmuth
Graduate Program:
Neuroscience
Research Interests:
I am interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying neurological disorders and translating these discoveries into targeted therapies. My previous research experiences in therapeutic discovery and cancer biology fostered an interest in the biochemical pathways that drive human disease and the development of precision treatments. Currently, my thesis research in the Wollmuth Lab focuses on the role of NMDA receptor dysfunction in neurodevelopment and seizure pathogenesis using zebrafish models of GRIN disorders. Through this work, I hope to identify disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets that improve outcomes for patients with epilepsy and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
Publications:
Aung TN, Singh A, Espinoza G, Zhang C, Jiang T, Kenchappa D, Bracero Y, Rakhade S, Sultana S, Shukla S, Nghiem E, Abbruzzese M, Kuang C, Geskin L, Entenberg D, Gartrell R, Ferringer T, Leung L, Moon JY, Horst B, Saenger Y. (2025). Pathomic immune biomarkers define recurrence risk in early-stage melanoma. The Oncologist, 30(10), oyaf327. https://doi.org/10.1093/oncolo/oyaf327
Bteich F, Desai K, Zhang C, Kaur A, Levy RA, Bioh L, Wang A, Sultana S, Kaubisch A, Kinkhabwala M, Bellemare S, Fidvi S, Kanmaniraja D, Berkenblit R, Moon JY, Adedimeji A, Tow CY, Saenger Y. (2024) Immunotherapy Efficacy in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Diverse and Underserved Population in the United States. J. Hepatocell. Carcinoma, 2024(11), 257-269. https://doi.org/10.2147/JHC.S436804
McDermott M, Cerullo AR, Parziale J, Achrak E, Sultana S, Ferd J, Samad S, Deng W, Braunschweig AB, Holford M. (2021). Advancing Discovery of Snail Mucins Function and Application. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., 9, 854. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2021.734023
Conference Posters/Presentations:
Sultana S, Larson C, Laramie S, Mechem V, Damle R, Bargnes V, Desai A. “Outcomes of Surgical and Image-Guided Percutaneous Management of Symptomatic Lumbar Facet Synovial Cysts: A Systematic Review.” Abstract submitted to: New York State Society of Anesthesiologists (NYSSA) 80th Post-Graduate Assembly in Anesthesiology.
11-14 December 2026. New York, NY.
Sultana S, Larson C, Laramie S, Mechem V, Damle R, Bargnes V, Desai A. “Outcomes of Surgical and Image-Guided Percutaneous Management of Symptomatic Lumbar Facet Synovial Cysts: A Systematic Review.” Abstract submitted to: American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA Pain Medicine) 25th Annual Pain Medicine Meeting. 5-7 November 2026. Tampa, FL.
Sultana S, Nebet E, Wollmuth LP. “Characterization of seizure-like activity in larval zebrafish models of neurodevelopmental disease.” Poster presented by Sultana at: 40th Annual MD-PhD National Student Conference. 10-12 July 2026. Breckenridge, CO, USA.
Bhimavarapu A, Sultana S, Lu M, Mangano M, Bargnes V, Desai A. “Successful Management of a Symptomatic Lumbar Facet Joint Cyst Using Fluoroscopic Aspiration.” Poster presented by Bhimavarapu at: International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS) and the Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists (SOCCA) 2026 Annual Meeting. 1-3 May 2026. Montreal, CA.
Bhimavarapu A, Sultana S, Lu M, Mangano M, Bargnes V, Desai A. “Successful Management of a Symptomatic Lumbar Facet Joint Cyst Using Fluoroscopic Aspiration.” Poster presented by Bhimavarapu at: American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA Pain Medicine) 24th Annual Pain Medicine Meeting. 13-15 November 2025. Austin, TX, USA.
Espinoza G, Zhang C, Moon JY, Kenchappa DB, Abbruzzese M, Bioh L, Bracero YM, Sultana S, Singh A, Aung T, Krolewski JJ, Gartrell RD, Geskin LJ, Leung LW, Ferringer T, Chang R, Horst B, Nastiuk K, Saenger Y. “Immune biomarkers for recurrence in stage II and III melanoma to guide patient stratification.” Poster presented by Saenger at: American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2024. 5-10 April 2024. San Diego, CA, USA.
Qi X, Sultana S, McGuckin C, Remotti H, Wu H, Saenger Y, Liu Q. “Neutrophil Infiltration of Tumor Area Correlates with Non-Recurrence in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.” Poster presented by Qi at: United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) 112th Annual Meeting. 11-16 March 2023. New Orleans, LA, USA.
Bteich F, Desai K, Zhang C, McGuckin C, Yan J, Sultana S, Leung L, Kaubisch A, Kinkhabwala M, Bellemare S, Adedimeji A, Tow C, Saenger Y. “Immunotherapy efficacy and tolerability in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a diverse and underserved population in the United States - Importance of baseline liver function and screening.” Poster presented by Bteich at: Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 37th Annual Meeting. 8-12 November 2022. Boston, MA, USA.
Sultana S, Wang S, Cooper WR, McGuckin CR, Rakhade S, Tartaro MA, Gartrell RD, Nastiuk K, Rimm DL, Geskin LJ, Messina J, Horst B, Ferringer TC, Saenger Y. “Validation of CD8/CD68 Ratio as a Biomarker for Stage II-III Melanoma.” Poster presented by Saenger at: The 19th International Congress of the Society for Melanoma Research (SMR). 17-20 October 2022. Edinburgh, UK.
Sultana S, Napolitano T, Holford M. “Identifying Venom Peptides with Therapeutic Potential Using VenomSeq Technology.” Poster presented at: American Medical Student Association Conference (AMSACon). 6-8 March 2021. Virtual.
Sultana S, Napolitano T, Holford M. “Application of VenomSeq Technology to Decipher the Putative Mechanism of Action and Molecular Targets of Venom Peptides.” Poster presented at: Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS). 9-13 November 2020. Virtual.
Sultana S, Napolitano T, Holford M. “Establishing a Method for Recombinant Expression of Disulfide-Rich Venom Peptides.” Poster presented at: Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS). 13-16 November 2019. Anaheim, CA, USA.