Team members
Dr. Ya-Cheng Liao, Principal Investigator
Email: yl5293@cumc.columbia.edu
Ya-Cheng Liao joined Columbia University in 2023 as an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, and in the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Prior to joining Columbia University, Ya-Cheng got her post-doctoral training under the mentorship of Dr. Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz at HHMI Janelia research campus, where she used super-resolution light microscopy and volume EM to uncover novel cellular pathways of lysosome hitchhiked RNA transport in axons, and protein quality control at the ER exit sites under cellular stress. Outside of the lab, Ya-Cheng likes lyrical dance, hiking, and spending time with family.
Dr. Ming Sun, Associate Research Scientist
Email: ms6862@cumc.columbia.edu
Ming joined the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain in 2023. Prior to joining Columbia University, Ming was a postdoctoral researcher and then a research fellow in the National Cancer Institute at NIH, where he worked on developing CAR-T therapy for treating pediatric cancer neuroblastoma. Ming has broad expertise including T-cell engineering, stem cell reprogramming, and neuronal differentiation. Outside of the lab, Ming enjoys playing soccer and doing math with his daughter.
Dr. Mariana Jiménez, Postdoctoral Researcher
Email: mj3327@cumc.columbia.edu
Mariana joined the lab in October of 2025 after completing her PhD at Vanderbilt University where she studied the intracellular pathways governing the localization of P4-ATPases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the Liao lab, Mariana is focused on determining the role of calcium sensor ALG2 in secretion through ERES and identifying the role of SORL1 in Tau accumulation and spreading. In her free time, she enjoys checking out the newest movies, swimming, and baking delicious treats (and bringing them to lab!).
Mahabub Alam, Graduate Student
Email: mma2279@cumc.columbia.edu
Mahabub is a graduate student who has been working in close collaboration with the Liao Lab since Jan 2025. He came to Columbia after attending Rutgers and Cornell. He is interested in understanding the deeper molecular and genetic mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases. Apart from school and lab, he loves to play with and spoil his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog Trixie.
Veria Puerta-Alvarado, Graduate Student
Email: vp2488@cumc.columbia.edu
Veria is a PhD candidate in her 4th year in the Neurobiology and Behavior PhD program. She is co-mentored by Clarissa Waites and joined the Liao Lab in summer 2025. Her research focuses on glucocorticoids and cellular stress phenotypes (e.g. stress granules, mitochondrial ROS release) in relation to tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease. Outside of lab, Veria enjoys gaming, reading, dabbling in the arts, and playing soccer.
Tony Ippolito, Graduate Student
Email: ali2119@cumc.columbia.edu
Tony is a first-year PhD student in the Neurobiology and Behavior program. After graduating from Cornell University in 2025, he joined the Liao lab in the summer of 2026 and is also co-mentored with Dr. Naomi Latorraca. Currently, he is investigating the molecular mechanisms of ANXA11-mediated lysosomal membrane repair and its association with neurodegenerative disorders. Outside the lab, Tony enjoys playing soccer, playing guitar, and watching movies.
Lab Alumni
Jacob Stein (Technician, 2024-2026), Now: Medical Student at the University of MichiganRachel Schweiger (Summer Student, 2024)Valencia Hopkins (Summer Student, 2024)