Research/Areas of Interest
I did my PhD research in Molecular Microbiology with John Coffin, PhD, focusing on the interactions between endogenous viruses (ERVs) and exogenous viruses during infection. Specifically, I focused on the differential expression of ERVs during HTLV-1 infection. ERVs (especially HERV-W) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, and HTLV-1 sometimes causes a very similar disease called HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). I investigated whether ERVs may play a similar role in this disease as they do in multiple sclerosis.
I am now completing medical school.
Education
BS, Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD