TEAM

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

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EDUCATION:

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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GRADUATE STUDENT

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EDUCATION:

BS in Microbiology, Minor in Sociology, Penn State, 2019

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I'M FROM: Lanham, MD

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SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

I am interested in host-pathogen interactions that govern the colonization and transmission of pneumococcus from the upper respiratory tract.

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FUN FACT:

I enjoy rewatching the same shows over and over again till I can recite the script and feel like an integral part of the cast.

GRADUATE STUDENT

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EDUCATION:

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.

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

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EDUCATION:

BSc in Biology, Haverford College '22

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I'M FROM:

Suzhou, China

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SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

Investigating the role pneumococcal capsule plays in its colonization and transmission

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FUN FACT:

I'm invested in a lot of things (I'm a classical guitarist-also a music minor as an undergrad, a soccer player, a not-so-bad cook, and a polyglot wannabe) but sort of a jack of all trades. 

GRADUATE STUDENT

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EDUCATION:

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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POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

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EDUCATION:

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.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT ​

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EDUCATION:

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

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

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EDUCATION:

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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EDUCATION:

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.

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

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EDUCATION: Sc.B in Neuroscience, English; Brown University ‘22

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I'M FROM:

Los Angeles, California

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SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

1) neuroinflammation and its contribution to the mechanisms and pathologies underlying neurodegenerative diseases

2) relationship between pneumococcal capsule size and its characteristics of virulence, transmission success, and ability to evade clearance by the immune system

3) medical illustration and clinical presentations of diseases portrayed in art throughout history

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FUN FACT:

I love to bake and am a certified hot yoga instructor!