Cinque Soto, Ph.D.

Cinque
Soto, Ph.D.
Associate Director for the VI4 Program in Computational Microbiology and Immunology
Research Associate Professor of Pediatrics Vaccine Center

Dr. Soto received his PhD in molecular biophysics from Columbia University's School of Medicine. After receiving his PhD, Cinque went on to carry out postdoctoral studies at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine where he developed computational methods for in silico modeling and design of helical transmembrane proteins. Following his postdoctoral studies, Cinque took a senior scientist position at SCHRODINGER, a computational software company, where he worked on the development of small-molecule docking methods for in silico drug design. In 2013, Cinque left the software industry to become co-head of the structural bioinformatics core section (SBIS) at NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center (VRC). At the VRC, Cinque focused on analyzing antibody repertoires from next-generation sequencing (NGS). Cinque continues working on the development of bioinformatics methods for analyzing antibody and T cell receptor repertories at the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center.

cinque.soto@vanderbilt.edu

Faculty Spotlight: Ivelin Georgiev, Ph.D.

Ivelin Georgiev received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Duke University. In 2009, he joined the newly formed Structural Bioinformatics Core Section at the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) on the main NIH campus in Bethesda, MD, where he served as a staff scientist and co-head until 2015. Dr. Georgiev is an Associate Director for the Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation. He is also a faculty member at the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center and an Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology and of Computer Science at Vanderbilt.... Click Dr. Georgiev's photo to continue reading.

Marjan Rafat, Ph.D.

Marjan
Rafat, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Assistant Professor of of Radiation Oncology
(615) 343-3899
Vanderbilt University
2414 Highland Ave
ESB 426
Nashville
Tennessee
37212

Our research combines engineering and biomedical science to elucidate the mechanisms driving breast cancer recurrence and metastasis. Our laboratory examines the relationship between tumor cells, normal tissues, and the immune system to better understand how each component contributes to metastasis and relapse after therapy. Specifically, we study the collateral effect of radiation and surgery of normal tissues on tumor and immune cell migration patterns, inflammatory responses following tissue damage, and changes in extracellular matrix remodeling of the tumor microenvironment and surrounding normal tissues resulting from therapy. We analyze the physical, chemical, and biological cues that influence cancer metastasis and recurrence to make discoveries at the interface of engineering and medicine.

Publications on PubMed.gov

marjan.rafat@vanderbilt.edu

Breast cancer; Cell motility and migration; Normal tissue response to radiation; Tumor microenvironment; Immune modulation

Matt Alexander, M.D., Ph.D.

Matt
Alexander, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Assistant Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics

Dr. Alexander’s laboratory is focused on the role of adaptive immunity in the pathogenesis of hypertension and associated cardiovascular disease. Current projects are focused on the role of counter-regulatory immune mechanisms in hypertension, including determining the role of novel regulatory T cell subsets in the pathogenesis of hypertension and microvascular dysfunction. We perform cutting edge basic and translational research integrating vascular biology and immunology using a variety of approaches including molecular biology, physiology, highly dimensional single cell analysis, and human genetics. Our laboratory is also integrated with the translational research infrastructure in the Divisions of Clinical Pharmacology and Cardiovascular Medicine to enable novel studies on human tissues and cells. Ultimately, the goal of Alexander laboratory is to fundamentally advance our understanding of hypertension and related cardiovascular diseases to develop new therapies for the benefit of the tremendous number of individuals affected by these conditions.

Publications on PubMed.gov

matt.alexander@vumc.org

Hypertension, cardiovascular disease, immunology, vascular biology

Graduate Student Spotlight: Laura Hesse

Laura Hesse is from southern Indiana and graduated from Michigan State University in 2017 with her B.S. in Microbiology. She joined the Skaar Lab the following year, where she studies nutrient metal homeostasis in Acinetobacter baumannii... Click the image on the left to continue reading.

Postdoc Spotlight: Allison Norlander, Ph.D.

Allison Norlander is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and received her B.S. in microbiology from the University of Pittsburgh. Allison then earned her Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University studying the impact of salt on T helper 17 cells in hypertension with Dr. Meena Madhur and Dr. David Harrison. She joined Peebles lab in 2017 and currently studies the influence of prostacyclin on T regulatory cells in allergic inflammation... Click the image on the left to continue reading.

Faculty Spotlight: Timothy L. Cover, M.D.

Timothy L. Cover, M.D. is a Professor of Medicine and Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology. Dr. Cover received a B.S. degree in Biology from Muhlenberg College and an M.D. degree from Duke University. Following an Internal Medicine residency at Penn State University, he completed an Infectious Diseases Fellowship at University of Colorado... Click Dr. Cover's photo to continue reading.

Spotlight: Denison Lab

Members of the Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation are making extraordinary advances in health and medicine. VI4 is developing therapies for the treatment of infection, autoimmunity, and cancer. At the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic is the laboratory of VI4 member, Dr. Mark R. Denison .... Click the image on the left to continue reading.