Master's Researcher at Salk Institute for Biological Studies - Ye Zheng Laboratory (2026-01 – Present)
Mentor: Dr. Ye Zheng
- Investigating how the intrinsically disordered region of FOXP3 regulates T regulatory cell suppressive function using targeted genetic perturbation and in vitro suppression assays.
- Profiling immune-cell populations in the spinal cord after partial sciatic nerve ligation to characterize immune remodeling associated with neuropathic pain.
- Coordinating assay development and analysis across collaborative immunology and neuroscience projects.
Undergraduate Researcher at Salk Institute for Biological Studies - Ye Zheng Laboratory (2025-01 – 2026-12)
Mentor: Dr. Ye Zheng
- Studied the roles of HDAC1 and HDAC2 in T regulatory cell function using CRISPR-based perturbation, cytokine stimulation, intracellular staining, and flow cytometry.
- Performed cloning, plasmid purification, HEK293T transfection, viral collection, primary T-cell isolation, and transduction; developed an independent project evaluating interferon-gamma expression in HDAC-deficient T regulatory cells.
Summer Research Intern at Brigham and Women's Hospital (2024-06 – 2024-08)
Mentors: Dr. Vinay Mahajan and Dr. Cory Perugino
- Identified published autoantigens in systemic sclerosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and used R to explore autoantibody-binding data from whole-proteome arrays.
Research Volunteer at Brigham and Women's Hospital (2024-09 – 2025-06)
Mentors: Dr. Vinay Mahajan and Dr. Cory Perugino
- Analyzed RNA-seq data from T regulatory cell subsets in healthy donors and patients with systemic sclerosis and IgG4-related disease; contributed to work presented at FOCIS 2025.
Research Intern at Brigham and Women's Hospital (2025-06 – Present)
Mentors: Dr. Vinay Mahajan and Dr. Cory Perugino
- Working on Nanopore sequencing to examine RNA methylation states and conducting transcriptional analyses of regulatory factors and proteins in T regulatory cell subsets.
Research Volunteer at Johns Hopkins University (2023-01 – Present)
Mentor: Dr. Carolyn Sufrin
- Contributing to research and policy projects addressing reproductive health in incarcerated populations.
- Presenting work on childbirth in U.S. jails and related media reporting at the American Society of Criminology.
