Marcus Davis

My name is Marcus Davis and I am a 2nd year Immunology Themed student in the Graduate Biomedical Science program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Our lab looks at characterizing human neutrophils during chronic inflammation using HIV-1 as our model. My project analyzes the prevalence of rare undefined neutrophil subpopulations in HIV-1 infected patients and determining their functional capabilities. We hypothesize that (1) neutrophils are the drivers of the development of comorbidities in HIV-1 infected patients and (2) that surface markers on neutrophils or products released from neutrophils can be used as early prognostic markers for disease progression.

 


Chyna Gray

After receiving her B.A. in Biology and Chemistry from the University of San Diego, Chyna Gray joined the Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry graduate program at Brown University. She is now a predoctoral researcher in Dr. Alfred Ayala’s lab at Rhode Island Hospital. Her project focuses on the role of checkpoint regulator, V-domain Immunoglobulin Suppressor of T cell Activation (VISTA) in T cells following septic challenge. She also is investigating how VISTA contributes to immune dysfunction.   

 


Kathryn Woods

Kathryn Woods is a third year student in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ Graduate Program of Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences, studying the immune response to central nervous system catheter infection. She has a B.S. from the University of Georgia and a M.S. in Biomedical Sciences from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is the recipient of a UAMS NIH Fellowship with the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development and actively involved in promoting diversity in biomedical science.