Kenny Endowed Fellowship recipient

Q: Please tell us a little bit about yourself 

A: I am originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, and studied biology and French at Wellesley College. After graduation, I traveled to Togo as a Fulbright student, where I led a research project examining schistosomiasis transmission dynamics within the context of ongoing mass preventative chemotherapy campaigns. My interests in vector-borne diseases led me to a postbaccalaureate fellowship at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, where I studied mosquito salivary proteins with the goal of identifying candidates for vaccines against arboviruses in Dr. Eric Calvo’s laboratory.

Q: Why did you decide to attend the UW for graduate school? Please make sure to include your background/interest in Global Health.

A: I chose UW for its reputation as an outstanding place for infectious disease research, and because of the university’s strong collaborative culture. I chose the Pathobiology program in particular as it offers excellent scientific training in infectious disease biology, while emphasizing foundational global health principles. My long-standing interest in global health research derives from my fieldwork experience in West Africa and earlier work at an international vaccinology non-profit in France.

Q: What are your research interests?

A: I am interested in antiviral immunity, T cell immunology, vaccine development, vector-borne and neglected tropical diseases.

Q: What are you enjoying most about your graduate program?

A: The Pathobiology program does a great job of combining coursework in both basic science and global health, and the faculty are very accessible and supportive. The program’s affiliation with UW Medicine, Fred Hutch and Seattle Children’s offers students a wealth of research opportunities. During my fall rotation in Dr. Jennifer Lund’s laboratory at Fred Hutch, I was able to learn about mucosal immunology within the context of a cohort study based in Kenya. I have also really enjoyed getting to know my cohort, who have created a strong sense of community in spite of the pandemic.