Jonathan Pitcher M.D./Ph.D. Program B.S., Psychology and Neuroscience, Emory University   Email: jonathan.howard.pitcher@drexel.edu Status: 1st Year Ph.D. Student

Background and Interests:

I graduated from Emory University with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.S. in Neuroscience. My interest in medicine and infectious disease led me to pursue a combined M.D./Ph.D. career path at Drexel University College of Medicine. Ultimately, I would like to divide my time working as a clinical scientist and in humanitarian efforts with Doctors Without Borders. One of the global pandemics afflicting the world at large is HIV/AIDS. Therefore, being part of an HIV research lab in the department of Microbiology and Immunology gives me an opportunity to fulfill my personal and professional ambitions.

My research interests include studying how specific genetic variations within the HIV-1 promoter correlate with the pathogenesis of HIV-associated neurological disease. Our lab has recently collaborated with clinicians in the Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine to establish the Drexel Med HIV-1 Cohort. This will allow us to study sequence variation longitudinally within different patient sub populations.