Patrick is a proud alumnus of Pitzer College. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center under the mentorship of Dr. Harmit Malik and Dr. Michael Emerman studying the evolution of host-virus interactions. Patrick completed his postdoctoral training with Russell Vance at the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied pathogen (both viral and bacterial) detection by a class of host innate immune sensors called inflammasomes.

Research in the Mitchell lab is focused on understanding basic principles that govern host-pathogen interactions that influence host immunity and pathogenesis. We are particularly interested in molecular innovations born from host-pathogen evolutionary ‘arms races.’ We combine approaches from evolution, genetics, biochemistry, immunology and microbiology to decipher mechanisms that govern innate immune recognition and other host-pathogen interactions.