Management Team

Brian Mariani, Ph.D. is Scientific Director of Molecular Genetics and Molecular Infectious Disease Laboratory at the Diagnostics Laboratories, and the Chief Scientist for GIVF. His research, completed at Stanford University in the Department of Biological Sciences, focused on cancer genetics; specifically the molecular mechanism of chemotherapeutic resistance. Following his PhD, Dr. Mariani received a Jane Coffin Childs Fellowship to study molecular genetics at Harvard University in the Department of Cellular and Development Biology. This work focused on gene structure and how the expression of genetic information is regulated during development and cellular differentiation. Dr. Mariani then served on the faculty of the Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, having joint appointments in the Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and Orthopaedic Surgery. His research at Jefferson involved the molecular basis of vertebrate embryogenesis, particularly the genetic control of skeletal development. Additional studies involved pioneering work in the molecular diagnosis of clinical infectious diseases. Dr. Mariani joined GIVF in 1998.

Veronica Novik, Ph.D. is Assistant Director of the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at Genetics & IVF Institute. Veronica received her Ph.D. in Microbiology from Yale University in 2008 studying the virulence mechanisms that bacteria employ during infection process. Her interest led to the identification and functional characterization of novel genes that mediate the interaction of Campylobacter jejuni, the major cause of bacterial gastroenteritis, with human host cells. That work led to the development of an animal colonization model to study C. jejuni infection that contributed towards a better understanding of the pathogenesis of this important human pathogen. Veronica Novik also holds a BS from Belorussian State University with a major in Genetics and Biotechnology (1995).

After coming to GIVF, Veronica has been the coordinator of the PGS program managing the critical interaction between the laboratory, embryology, physicians, and clinical genetics staff to ensure a seamless and accurate clinical process for our patients. In this capacity, Veronica is responsible for reviewing and cataloging all 24-chromosme analyses with respect to clinical correlation and outcome. As a team, all PGS data is analyzed and documented for aneuploidy, mosaicism, and segmental aberrations with respect to patient medical history and pregnancy success. Her technical expertise in molecular methods has also contributed greatly to test design and validation for the infectious disease program.

Khoa Tran is a molecular technologist and project leader with over 14 years of research and clinical experience applying molecular diagnostics to the fields of reproductive genetics and infectious diseases. He is a graduate of George Mason University with a Master of Science degree, received in 2014. His thesis focused on the integration and clinical application of mutation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) for the detection of unaffected euploid embryos from couples at risk for genetic disease undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment.

He currently leads assay development, validation, and integration of projects for the Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis Laboratory. He works closely with the Laboratory Director, Brian Mariani, Ph.D., in assay design and validation of protocols for over 50 gene-specific mutations. He has extensive experience with molecular laboratory techniques, including SNP and whole genome microarrays, as well as Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) PGS. Khoa has been with the Genetics & IVF Institute since 2005, presently serving as a Senior Research Scientist and Project Lead on all molecular PGD strategies for couples at-risk for genetic disease.

Harvey J. Stern, MD, Ph.D. is Medical Director of the PGD Laboratory and Scientific Director for the Endocrinology Laboratory at the Diagnostics Laboratories. Dr. Stern is a board certified pediatrician and medical geneticist with subspecialty certification in clinical, biochemical, and molecular genetics. Dr. Stern received his undergraduate degree in molecular biology from Columbia College and went on to complete a PhD in Human Genetics from the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. He attended medical school at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. After a residency in pediatrics at Children's National Medical Center in Washington DC, Dr. Stern completed a fellowship in medical genetics at UCLA. He formerly directed the Biochemical and Molecular Genetics Laboratory at Children's National Medical Center. Dr. Stern joined Genetics & IVF Institute in 1995.

Management Team

Clinical Diagnostic Services

Management Team

Clinical Diagnostics

Research Services

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