Simon Schwörer, PhD – Principal Investigator
Simon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology. Simon earned his BS and MS in Molecular Medicine from Ulm University and a PhD in Molecular Biomedicine from Friedrich Schiller University, both in Germany. In his graduate work with Lenhard Rudolph at the Leibniz Institute on Aging, Simon investigated epigenetic regulators of stem cell fate decisions in aging. He completed his postdoctoral training with Craig Thompson at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he studied the metabolic control of fibroblast function in cancer and fibrosis. His work was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Human Frontier Science Program and a K99/R00 Award from the National Cancer Institute. Simon’s work has been published in Nature, Science, Cell Metabolism, Nature Metabolism, Cancer Research and the EMBO Journal.
Simon started the lab at UChicago in 2022 and has since then received a several honors, including a Young Investigator Award from the Cancer Research Foundation, the Augustyn Award in Digestive Cancer from the AGA Foundation, the Founders Award from the American Society for Matrix Biology, a Pancreatic Cancer Idea Development Award from the Department of Defense, and a Maximizing Investigator’s Research Award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Aside from research, Simon is passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists and science presentation.
In his free time, Simon likes to run along Lake Michigan, cook and try out new recipes, explore the Chicago restaurant scene, follow his favorite soccer team and hang out with his cat Laury.
Favorite metabolite: Proline
Marta Storl-Desmond, BS – PhD Candidate
Marta is a forth-year graduate student in the Committee on Cancer Biology at UChicago and a former member of the NCI T32 Multi-disciplinary Training program in Cancer Research. She earned a BS in Chemical Biology from Case Western Reserve University and worked as a Research Technician in Quintin Pan’s lab on novel anti-cancer target discovery.
Marta joined the Schwörer Lab in August 2023 after rotating in the Lab in the Spring quarter. Her project focuses on the metabolic control of CAF heterogeneity and plasticity in tumors. Marta is interested in mitochondrial biology and understanding drug mechanisms.
In her free time, Marta enjoys aerial arts (think circus), hiking, scuba diving, snowboarding, cooking, and eating good food.
Favorite metabolite: Acetyl-CoA
Shuxuan Yi, BS – PhD Student
Shuxuan is a second-year graduate student in the Committee on Cancer Biology at UChicago. She earned a BS in Biology from Tsinghua University/China and worked as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in Yangxin Fu’s lab on chimeric antibodies targeting LRRC15 in CAFs.
Shuxuan joined the Schwörer Lab in September 2025 after rotating in the Lab in the Winter quarter. Her project focuses on identifying metabolic vulnerabilities of heterogeneous CAF populations in tumors.
In her free time, Shuxuan enjoys video games.
Favorite metabolite: Citric acid
Julien Guillard, PhD – Postdoctoral Scholar
Julien earned an MS in Biology and Health and a PhD in Biophysics from the University of Reims/France. After studying CAFs in his master’s thesis, in his graduate work co-mentored by Gerard Thiefin, Ganesh Sockalingum, and Roselyne Garnotel, Julien developed PhotoFib, a vibrational spectroscopy approach to analyze liver cirrhosis and discover new biomarkers for disease progression.
Julien joined the Schwörer Lab in June 2023, focusing on the metabolic control of ECM synthesis in pancreatic tumors and lung fibrosis. He is passionate about science communication, coordinating events like “Pint of Science.”
Outside the lab, Julien tries to catch all the new movies in the theatre, likes to compete with his PI in movie soundtrack quizzes, and enjoys traveling across the country to visit all 50 states before finishing his Postdoc.
Favorite metabolite: Hydroxyproline (just like proline, but fancier)
Kevin Muñoz Forti, PhD – Postdoctoral Scholar
Kevin earned a BS in Biomedicine from the University of Puerto Rico, an MS in Biotechnology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, and a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Missouri. In his graduate work with Gary Weisman, he studied purinergic receptor signaling in oral cancer and Sjögren’s syndrome. Kevin held an NIH RISE R25 Fellowship, an NIH T32 Predoctoral Fellowship, and a Life Sciences Graduate Research Fellowship.
Kevin is an IRACDA fellow at UChicago, which will allow him to gain experience in science education. Kevin joined the Schwörer Lab in August 2023 and leads the lab’s efforts toward investigating CAF metabolism in vivo.
Kevin likes to bake in his free time while exploring the concept of “free time.”
Favorite metabolite: 4-Hydroxyamphetamine
Jessica Stradley, BS – Research Technician
Jessica joined the Schwörer Lab as a Research Technician in September 2025. She is also a Post-Bac Scholar in the Cell, Developmental and Molecular Biology program. She earned her BS in Biology from Texas A&M University in May 2025. At A&M, Jessica worked on the role of astrocytes in synaptogenesis in Isabella Farhy-Tselniker’s lab. Jessica will lead the lab’s efforts to establish patient-derived CAF models and improve their relevance to human tumor biology. Her goal is to attend a graduate program in Cancer Biology in the future.
In her free time, Jessica likes chill activities: reading, brewing all types of tea, making fun coffee/matcha drinks, yoga, lifting, and hanging with her cat Cap.
Favorite metabolite: GABA
Iga Czechowska, MS – Biolab Student
Iga is an exchange student through the BioLAB program sponsored by the Fulbright Commission. She completed her MS research and various internships in labs across Europe. Iga joined the Schwörer Lab in July 2025 as a visiting graduate student. She focuses on understanding the metabolic programs that help CAFs to survive under the nutrient stressed condition of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment.
In her free time, Iga enjoys hiking, martial arts, archery, drawing, and video games.
Favorite metabolite: Itaconate
Sayana Isaac – Undergraduate Student (’27)
Sayana is a third-year undergraduate student in the College on the pre-med track majoring in Economics and South Asian Civilizations and Languages with a double minor in Biological Sciences and Chemistry. She joined the lab in the Spring of 2024 and is interested in learning how metabolic rewiring in fibroblasts contributes to tumor progression.
In her free time, Sayana likes spending time outdoors, especially hiking, skiing, and running.
Favorite metabolite: Glutamate
Nicole Liu – Undergraduate Student (’27)
Nicole is a third-year undergraduate student in the College majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in Creative Writing. She joined the lab in the Spring of 2024 and is interested in learning how metabolism regulates cell state.
In her free time, Nicole likes creative writing, running and reviewing movies.
Favorite metabolite: Methionine.
Glitches in the Matrix
Laury
Originally from New York City, Laury followed Simon to Chicago to help him start the Lab. She makes sure the Lab’s mouse colony is kept in check.
In her free time, Laury likes to sleep, watch birds and insects, and snuggle with her humans.
Favorite metabolite: Leucine (she likes protein, and leucine is the most abundant amino acid in protein)
Mouse
Mouse is the Lab’s master of centrifugation. He sleeps on top of centrifuges, ensuring they are at the right temperature.
In his free time, Mouse enjoys sleeping in flower pots…filled with dirt…on top of the plants. When awake, he usually demands cuddles from his human.
Favorite metabolite: Omega-3 fatty acid metabolite derivatives because Mouse is a massive fan of fish.
Rodrigo José Garcia
Rodrigo spends most of his time in Puerto Rico. He comes to Chicago for the summer quarter to keep the lab’s summer undergrad students in line.
In his free time, Rodrigo enjoys sunbathing and barking at his shadow.
Favorite metabolite: All metabolites of peanut butter catabolism
Cap
Cap is from Texas and joined the lab as safety officer. He will nipp at the ankles of those who wear improper PPE.
In his free time, Cap likes to chirp at birds and attempt to break into the fridge.
Favorite metabolite: Lactose (but very much intolerant)
Meebao
Meebao joined the lab as the master of media, preparing all sorts of fancy culture media formulations for the lab.
In his free time, Meebao loves making donuts, sleeping, and biting charging cables.
Favorite metabolite: Glutamate (especially in chicken breast)
Alumni
Research Technician
Francesco Cimino (2020-2022) – currently MD/PhD student, SUNY Downstate
Daiqing Chen (2023) – currently PhD student, University of Illinois
Kristof Turan (2024-2025) – currently PhD student, University of Chicago
Shan Cao (2024-2025) – currently Surgical First Assistant Student, Mayo Clinic
BioLAB students
Michal Nizio (2024-2025) – currently MD student, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland
PhD Students
Chufan Cai, PhD (2023-2024, co-mentored) – currently Postdoctoral Fellow at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
PhD Rotation Students
Maia Clare (2024) – CCB
Hunter Blaylock (2024) – CCB
Kasia Kurylowicz (2024) – CCB
Yuqing Xue (2024) – CCB
Undergraduate Students
Alex Turk (2023) – UChicago, Biochemistry
Alexa Jang (2023) – UChicago, Biological Sciences
Daniel Martinez (2024) – University of Iowa, UCCCC EYES on Cancer Program
Nicholas Ouhabi (2025) – Grinnell College, UCCCC EYES on Cancer Program
High School Students
Daniel Goldsborough (2025) – Back of the Yards College Preparatory High School, UCCCC EYES on Cancer Program