Project: 

Microphysiological Systems for Modeling Autoimmunity in Type 1 Diabetes

►Where are you from originally, and where did you go to school?

I grew up in Dunwoody GA which is a suburb of Atlanta. I received my BS from Vanderbilt University and PhD from Emory University

►What is your current position?

I am an Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania

►Why did you decide to become a researcher?

I wasn’t really good at anything else

►What is the “Big Picture” of what you study?

My lab engineers T cells to become therapeutic tools against cancer, HIV and T1D. For the CHIB, we will be engineering T cells so that they become research tools to better understand T1D pathogenesis.

►What is your favorite aspect of your research?

I love learning from and collaborating with others

► What do you hope to achieve with your research?

To develop new approaches to effectively prevent and reverse T1D