Kristina Delgado wins first place for best poster presentation at the 2023 Graduate Student Research Day

Congratulations to Graduate Student Kristina Delgado for receiving first place for best poster presentation at the 2023 Graduate Student Research Day.   Kristina’s project centers around the development of a vaccine against Treponema pallidum (Tp)the causative agent of syphilis. With the guidance and support of her mentors, Drs. Justin Radolf and Kelly Hawley, and in collaboration with the Spirochete Research Laboratories, Kristina employs a learning-from-nature approach that exploits the ability of Tp-infected rabbits to clear syphilitic infection. Kristina's project focuses on dissecting the antigenic profile of the Tpß-barrel-forming outer membrane proteins (OMPs), specifically the surface-exposed extracellular loops, to inform vaccine candidate selection. Kristina’s achievements not only advance our understanding of the antibody response elicited by Tp, they also could revolutionize strategies for development of a much-needed, globally efficacious syphilis vaccine.

Kristina Delgado

Alyssa and Keaton receive recognition at upcoming CHARGE meeting in San Antonio, Texas

Congratulations to MD/PhD Student Keaton Karlinsey and Graduate Student Alyssa Matz from Dr. Beiyan Zhou’s lab, who received invitations to give short oral presentations at the CHARGE meeting on October 10-12, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas.   Keaton’s project relates to developing a risk assessment model for cardiovascular diseases using novel computer algorithms.  Alyssa received a competitive travel award to present her exciting discovery on aging B cell response to vaccination using an innovative computational program, B-RAY.

Alyssa Matz, Dr. Beiyan Zhou, Keaton Karlinsey

Andrew Harrison Recipient of AAI-Thermo Fisher Trainee Achievement Award

Congratulations to Andrew Harrison who has been selected as a recipient of a 2023 AAI-Thermo Fisher Trainee Achievement Award.  This award recognizes six promising trainees in the field of immunology selected for oral presentation in a Block Symposium. Andrew is a graduate student in the laboratory of Dr. Penghua Wang, and his project involves investigating the role of glucose transporters in antiviral immunity.

Dr. Penghua Wang, Andrew Harrison