Graduate Students

I am a second year Microbiology PhD student in the lab of Dr. Walther Mothes where I study virus cell-to-cell transmission and Fc receptor signaling through live cell imaging approaches. I have a strong interest in virology and HIV-host interactions to help develop accessible solutions for the populations most impacted by these health crises. Outside of lab, I volunteer in STEM outreach organizations and serve as a mentor for students from underrepresented backgrounds. I also enjoy dancing as part of some teams on campus. I graduated Summa Cum Laude in May 2023 from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a B.S. in Molecular & Cellular Biology (MCB), where I was a Stamps Scholar. I was awarded Highest Distinction and Academic Distinction in MCB for my senior thesis on “Structural and biochemical mechanisms of HIV latency reactivation in monocytes, macrophages, and T-cells” in the laboratory of Dr. Collin Kieffer.

PhD student in the Laurent-Rolle lab studying viral antagonism of host innate immune responses, SARS-CoV-2, alphaviruses, post-translational modifications, virus-mitochondria interactions.

I am a graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in Microbiology. I research the function and potential uses of short cell-penetrating peptides in the laboratory of Dr. Daniel DiMaio. My interests include virology, science communication, science policy, and photography.

Rebecca I. Colón Ríos (she/her) was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She pursued her undergraduate studies at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, where she majored in Industrial Microbiology. In her home institution, she worked on screening for pathogenic aerosols in the biology department and identifying environmental fungal interactions with bromeliads. Now, Rebecca is a fifth year Ph.D. candidate and NIAID F31 Fellow in the Microbiology Track of the BBS program. In Dr. Barbara Kazmierczak’s lab, she’s studying Acanthamoeba castellanii - Pseudomonas aeruginosa interactions. Rebecca strives to increase the representation of underrepresented scientists by organizing recruitment efforts as the Chair of the YBDIC Engagement Branch. In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys making pottery and baking.

Ife received her B.S. in Microbial Biology from the College of Natural Resources at UC Berkeley. During her undergraduate degree, she studied antibody-dependent enhancement of severe dengue in the laboratory of Professor Eva Harris. She is currently a PhD candidate in the Microbial Pathogenesis department, where she is mentored by Professor Amy Bei. Her research focuses on developing novel malaria transmission-blocking interventions. She investigates the interactions between Plasmodium parasites, Anopheles mosquitoes, and their microbiota.

Jeff is an MD/PhD student in the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis.

Kristina graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a B.S. in Biochemistry & Biophysics. After earning her bachelor's degree, she worked in the laboratory of Dr. Deborah Hung at Massachusetts General Hospital where she studied the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. She is currently a graduate student in the Pi Lab and is investigating the formation of ferrosomes in Clostridioides difficile.