Drexel University College of Medicine

Thesis Research Summary:

I completed my undergraduate work at the University of Delaware where I received a B.S. in biological sciences with a concentration in cellular and molecular biology and genetics. My thesis work centered around the role of small GTPases in prostate cancer metastasis, specifically the effect of constitutive Rho/Rac activation on microtubule integrity. Immunology did not enter the playing field, however, until my senior year when I took my first course in immunology. This class left me with a deep appreciation for the remarkable abilities of our immune system and I knew that I wanted to pursue a graduate degree studying immunology. Currently, I work with Dr. Michele Kutzler developing DNA vaccines as a prophylactic treatment for Clostridium difficile infection. Our aim is to induce a robust gut immune response towards C. difficile followed by characterizing the immune correlates of protection. Furthermore, we are interested in defining the impact of opioid addiction and withdrawal on humoral and cellular immune responses to C. difficile in the GALT.