Daniel Ellis is a PhD candidate in the laboratory of Dr. Neil King at the University of Washington’s Institute for Protein Design. His research centers on designing a universal influenza vaccine using protein-based nanoparticles. We sat down with Daniel to discuss his research, including the Phase 1 clinical trial that has resulted from it.
Dr. Lexi Walls is a recent PhD graduate in the laboratory of Dr. David Veesler at the University of Washington. Her research focuses on using cryo-electron microscopy to study transmission of coronaviruses. We sat down with Dr. Walls to discuss the current SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, and how insights from structural biology are helping inform vaccine development.
Dr. Cate Speake is a Research Assistant Member at Benaroya Research Institute (BRI) at Virginia Mason, where she is investigating biomarkers for type 1 diabetes. She also plays a central role in BRI’s biorepositories, including being the Project Lead on a new project to profile the healthy immune system in partnership with the Allen Institute for Immunology. We sat down with Dr. Speake to discuss this partnership, and how it relates to the biorepositories at BRI.
Dr. Billanna Hwang (Billie) is a Research Scientist heading toward the faculty track under the mentorship of Dr. Michael S. Mulligan in the Department of Surgery at the University of Washington. Her research focuses on the role of exosomes in immune modulation, and as biomarkers and a potential immunotherapeutic for a variety of inflammatory processes, including lung ischemia reperfusion injury. We sat down with Dr. Hwang to discuss how she stumbled into the world of exosome research...
Dr. Aaron Korkegian is a Scientist at the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) in Seattle working in tuberculosis (TB) drug discovery. Dr. Korkegian sat down with us to discuss the TB pandemic, and what IDRI is doing in collaboration with industry to improve current treatments.
Historically, biomaterials heal poorly. This includes those used in solid hip replacements, contact lenses, dental materials, etc. All of them, regardless of whether they’re made from soft tissue or solid material, never really recapitulate what they’re replacing. They have limitations in terms of life span as well. If you get a hip replacement at forty, you’re going to need to get another one when you’re about seventy. There are also limitations in terms of disease and type of injury that biomaterials can replace. Devices can’t treat Parkinson’s disease...
Chris Large is a graduate student in the laboratory of Dr. Maitreya Dunham in the Department of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington. Chris collaborates with Postdoc Brewing, a local brewery created by former UW Biochemistry alumnus Dr. Tom Schmidlin, to study the evolution of brewing yeast strains. We sat down with Chris to discuss his love of science and beer...
Dr. Lai Hong Wong is a senior research fellow working in the laboratory of Prof. Douglas Fowler and Prof. Maitreya Dunham in the Department of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington. Dr. Wong is interested in leveraging yeast genetics to explore the genetic determinants of drug metabolism that are implicated in adverse drug reactions in humans. We sat down…