PhD Student
Columbia University
Ryan Hobson is a 4th year Ph.D candidate in the Pathobiology and Molecular Medicine program at Columbia University. His thesis work in Dr. Wassim Elyaman's lab focuses on the role of the adaptive immune system, especially T cells, in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and ALS. Leveraging unbiased approaches including MHC immunopeptidomics and single cell RNA/TCR sequencing, Ryan hopes to identify both universal neurodegenerative and disease-specific T cell responses that contribute to disease progression. In his research, Ryan uses a combination of computational biology and in vitro studies to identify the regulatory mechanisms that control T cell activation and infiltration into the central nervous system. Outside of the lab, Ryan works with the Columbia Technology Ventures office as a Research Fellow where he helps identify marketable technologies from across university departments. Ultimately, Ryan strives to translate his laboratory findings into personalized cell therapies for neurodegeneration.
