2024-25 Autoimmunity and Autoinflammation Training Grant Trainees
Kristy Chiang (Medicine)
Kristy is a co-mentored PhD student in Dr. Kate Fitzgerald’s lab and Dr. Ann Rothstein’s lab. Her research focus is on the role of endothelial cells in STING-associated Vasculopathy with onset in Infancy (SAVI) autoinflammatory lung disease. Kristy received her BS in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology with a minor in Comparative Literature from the University of Washington (Seattle, WA).
Leo DeOrsey (Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology)
Leo is a PhD candidate in Dr. Paul Thompson’s lab. His thesis work is focused on investigating SARM1, an NAD+ hydrolase that promotes axon degeneration and neuroinflammation in a range of disorders including traumatic brain injuries, peripheral and optic neuropathies, multiple sclerosis, and ALS. Leo attended Rhode Island College where he received a BS in Biology, a BM in clarinet performance, and a minor in chemistry.
Jason Freedman (Program in Molecular Medicine)
Jason is an MD/PhD student in Dr. Paul Greer's lab. His research is focused on the role of neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative disease, with a specific focus on the MS4A gene family's role in Multiple Sclerosis. He is also exploring how these genes can be therapeutically targeted to modulate microglial function and aberrant neuroimmune responses. Prior to joining UMass, Jason received his BA in Neuroscience from Oberlin College and trained as a Research Technician in Richard Axel's lab at Columbia University.
Nick Hayden (Pathology)
Nick is a PhD student in Dr. Lawrence Stern’s lab. His research focuses on improving methods of predicting T cell epitopes and using these methods to discover new autoimmune epitopes. Nick received his BS in Mathematics and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Marta Pérez-Vázquez (Medicine)
Marta is a PhD candidate in Dr. Lee Quinton’s lab. Her research aims to understand innate immunity responses and tissue resilience upon bacterial pulmonary infections by studying mouse lung endothelial cells and LIF, a cytokine known to drive lung tissue protection and resilience during and after pneumonia. Marta received her BS in Biotechnology from the University of Puerto Rico in Ponce and a MS in Biology from Towson University.
Noah Sciambra (Medicine)
Noah is an MD/PhD candidate in Dr. Read Pukkila-Worley’s lab. His research is focused on genetic factors affecting C. elegans susceptibility to pathogen infection. He attended the University of Alabama where he obtained a BS and MS in Biological Sciences via an Accelerated Master’s Program.