OurTeam
Yoshihiro Izumiya, DVM, PhD
Dr. Yoshi Izumiya is a Professor at the University of California Davis School of Medicine. He graduated from the University of Tokyo with a PhD in Veterinary Microbiology, focusing on the oncogenic mechanisms of Marek's disease virus, a chicken herpesvirus, under the guidance of Dr. Takeshi Mikami.
Following this, he conducted postdoctoral research with Dr. Hsing-Jien Kung at the University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. Since then, Dr. Izumiya has dedicated over twenty years to scientific research at UC Davis Medical School.
Outside of his academic career, he is the father of three daughters and is involved as a member of the USA Swimming Association and a Stroke & Turn judge.
Ashish Kumar, PhD
Assistant Project Scientist, School of Medicine, University of California Davis.
Ashish Kumar received his Ph.D. in 2018 from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Bhopal, India, where he worked on host-pathogen interaction and immune response to highly pathogenic influenza virus strains. He joined Yoshi’s lab in January 2019 and has been utilizing the novel proximity labeling proteomic method to understand the host-pathogen interaction by using KSHV, human oncogenic viruses that cause several cancers. His favorite thing outside the lab is spending time with his wife and daughter.
Tomoki Inagaki, MD, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Medicine, University of California Davis.
After graduating from Nagoya University in Japan, Tomoki Inagaki worked as a resident physician at Chubu Rosai Hospital for two years. After clinical training, he started molecular virology research as a graduate student in Dr. Kimura’s lab at Nagoya University. He then joined Yoshi’s lab in July 2021 and has been studying the mechanisms of viral gene regulation.
Somayeh Komaki, MD
Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Medicine, University of California Davis
Dr. Komaki received her MD degree at Hamadan Medical School. She worked as a family physician from 2020 to 2022. In 2023, she joined Dr. Izumiya’s lab as a postdoctoral fellow while pursuing a career as a physician-scientist. She is working on the viral protein, which involves cell type-specific roles.
Kang-Hsin Wang, MS
Associate Specilist
Ms. Kang-HsinWang has worked at UC Davis Medical School since 2009 and joined Dr. Izumiya’s lab in 2013. She received her master's degree at National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan. She oversees xenograft studies and animal protocols and serves as a lab manager to comply with regulations. She is interested in translational science and medical engineering.
Jonna M. Espera, BS
Assistant Specialist, Department of Dermatology, University of California Davis Health
Jonna M. Espera joined Dr. Yoshihiro Izumiya’s lab in September 2020 as an undergraduate mentee. After graduating from University of California Davis with a Bachelors of Science in Global Disease Biology, she shortly received the position of Junior Specialist. Today, she maintains the role of Assistant Specialist, providing support in Dr. Izumiya’s current projects on KSHV. Similar to her mentor, she strives to obtain a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine.
In her free time, she loves to play with her cats, make art, and see live music.
Chris Amaya Bautista
Undergraduate Research Trainee, Biotechnology with an emphasis of Bioinformatics, University of California Davis
Chris A. Bautista has conducted research in Dr. Yoshi’s lab since September 2023. He is a pre-med student interested in genetic engineering and its potential to transform medicine. Currently, he studies flexible protein interactions by purifying fluorescent protein-tagged proteins. Beyond the lab, he is involved in a student-run clinic, where he engages in patient care. In his free time, they enjoy playing music, sewing, and pursing personal growth. He loves making his PI laugh and creating a positive lab environment.
