TEAM

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

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DEGREE(S):

BA in Biology and History, Swarthmore College '20

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I'M FROM: NYC

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SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

Understanding the factors driving competition among pneumococcal strains during colonization and transmission

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POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

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DEGREE(S):

PhD in Microbiology, UC Davis

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I'M FROM: Minnesota

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SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

Elucidation of host factors that drive susceptibility to upper respiratory tract infections in children; identification of age-related differences in mucosal defense mechanisms.

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FUN FACT:

I had a fear of needles so I became a phlebotomist.

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

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DEGREE(S):

BS in Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh ‘20

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I'M FROM: Queens, New York

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SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

Understanding the mechanistic role of the upper respiratory tract microbiota in influenza virus transmission

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FUN FACT:

I once won a hula hooping contest – last woman standing.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT ​

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DEGREE(S):

BA in Pscyhology, UCONN

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I'M FROM:

Originally from CT, but I consider myself a New Yorker by now :)

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FUN FACT:

I was in commercials as a child, so there's a chance you've seen my younger self in a Nickelodeon or random toy ad. (shout out to all my millennials).

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

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DEGREE(S):

PhD in Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, 2020

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I'M FROM: Punjab, India

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SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

Understanding microbial and host factors that influence pneumococcal adaptation, colonization and transmission

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FUN FACT:

I've lived on four continents.

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POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

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DEGREE(S):

MSc in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bremen 2015
PhD in Medical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet 2021

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I'M FROM: Leipzig, Germany

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SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

Communications between molecular players within a cell (prokaryotic or eukaryotic) or between different cells and regulation of said communication.

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FUN FACT:

The country I was born in, does not exist anymore. I also like food. A lot.

GRADUATE STUDENT

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DEGREE(S):

BS in Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh, 2015

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I'M FROM: New Jersey

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SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

Exploring the roles of Streptococcus pneumoniae produced neuraminidases with respect to upper respiratory tract colonization and transmission, as well as the host factors that respond to these enzymes' activities.

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FUN FACT:

I once drove a forklift as an undergrad for some extra spending money.

GRADUATE STUDENT

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DEGREE(S):

BS in Biological Sciences, Cornell University ‘16

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I'M FROM:  Penang, Malaysia

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SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

Understanding how systemic innate immunity at different ages of an organism (i) is functionally primed and (ii) factors into microbial susceptibility.

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FUN FACT:

Guess who’s a firstborn of his generation on both sides of the family? (Also, I love carrot juice with milk – it’s a popular drink from where I’m from! :P )

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GRADUATE STUDENT

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DEGREE(S):

ScM in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University ‘20

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I'M FROM: Taiyuan, China

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SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

Understanding microbial factors that drive competition between co-colonizing pneumococci

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FUN FACT:

I am a totally harmless peace lover addicted to perfect crime fiction and movies.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR ​

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DEGREE(S):

Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai '11

Doctor of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai '13

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I'M FROM:

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

Understanding the biology of transmission of influenza virus and other respiratory pathogens.

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FUN FACT:

I am a mother of 2 beautiful girls, and am a citizen of 3 countries.