Lab Members

Aaron Michels, MD
Principal Investigator
​aaron.michels@cuanschutz.edu

Frieda and George S. Eisenbarth Clinical Immunology Endowed Chair
Director of the CLIA & CAP Certified Barbara Davis Center – Autoantibody/HLA/Metabolic Laboratory​

Angela Mitchell, PhD, MS
Postdoctoral Fellow
angela.mitchell@cuanschutz.edu

I received my PhD in Immunology and joined the lab to study the protective mechanisms by which diabetes-resistance HLA molecules (e.g. DQ6) interact with regulatory T cells to provide disease protection. ​

Arya Afshang
Professional Research Assistant
arya.afshang@cuanschutz.edu

My research project focuses on using T cell assays to understand the immune mechanisms following treatment with antigen specific immunotherapy. 

Kristen McDaniel, BS
Lab Manager
kristen.mcdaniel@cuanschutz.edu

I have been part of the laboratory for over a decade, involved in many research projects, and have expertise in T cell immunology assays including those using peripheral blood and human tissues. 

Halis (Kaan) Akturk, MD
Assistant Professor
​halis.akturk@cuanschutz.edu

I have a strong interest in the immune related adverse events that can occur following immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for cancer treatment with a focus on autoimmune type 1 diabetes. 

Erin Baschal, PhD
Research Associate
erin.baschal@cuanschutz.edu

My PhD is in Human Medical Genetics, and my research focuses on using next generation sequencing of T cell receptors to develop a non-cell based biomarker of T cells involved in type 1 diabetes pathogenesis. 

Kimber Simmons, MD
Assistant Professor
​kimber.simmons@cuanschutz.edu

My research focuses on understanding the genetic, immunologic, and metabolic diversity in ethnically diverse populations with diabetes to improve prediction and prevention of type 1 diabetes.