MEET THE TEAM

Michael Brissette is a graduate student, who is interested in working in the biotech industry after graduating with his Ph.D.

He is interested in the intracellular traffic of the C-C motif chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) post-stimulation with its two ligands, CCL19 and CCL21. Using techniques such as confocal microscopy and flow cytometry, he analyzes CCR7 internalization, recycling, and intracellular compartmentalization/traffic using fluorescent stains and internalization probes. Additionally, he employs shRNA’s and drug inhibitors against regulators of membrane dynamics, such as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3K’s), to determine the molecular drivers of CCR7 displacement.

Jaisel is a graduate student working in the lab who is interested in several pursuits following the completion of his Ph.D.

He serves the lab in a number of capacities including colony husbandry and running numerous experiments and serving as a liaison to IACUC.

Anahi Sanchez is a graduate student interested in working in industry or academia.

She is interested in defining the roles G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) and GRK3 have on C-C motif chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) signaling to provide insight into the mechanisms controlling biased signaling. To test the kinases, we have generated knockdowns and knockouts of GRK2 and GRK3 in human T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-ALL) cell lines CEMs with Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) Cas-9. The CEMs are stimulated with the endogenous chemokines for CCR7, CCL19, and CCL21 and tested for migration, internalization, and signaling cascade recruitment differences.

Vivian Torres is a graduate student who is interested in working in research once she graduate in 2-3 years.

She is interested in learning about the different projects that take place in Dr. Charlotte Vines lab. She hopes to find an area of research that contributes to the lab because and is willing to work in anything. Strong interest in biology and furthering her research in Vines Lab.

Abduljalal is an undergraduate student, who is interested in attending medical school.

He is interested in getting research experience and understanding what the research field entails as he plans to become an oncologist who actively conducts cancer research and hopefully contributes to the existing medical knowledge by developing new procedures and treatments. By partaking in this lab, he wants to learn the necessary problem-solving skills and experience to achieve this goal.

Janina is an undergraduate student who is interested in attending medical school and joining the Air Force.

She is interested in learning more about biological research and intends to apply it to a career in medicine and more specifically as a Doctor. She seeks to holistically assess patient issues in the hopes to more accurately treat them. She hopes to attain more knowledge in the lab that will aid her in this pursuit.

Natalia Garcia is an undergraduate student currently majoring in biological sciences with a biomedical concentration.

She is interested in attending medical school in the future and is currently a contributor to the lab in hopes of learning more about research and animal management. She looks to gain experiences and knowledge in the lab.

Alondra Rodriguez is an undergraduate student who is interested in attending graduate school.

Currently, she is researching the assessment of T-ALL cell culture models using CEM cells in regard to GPCR activation of CCR7, Designing and assessing an inhibitor for the receptor using a mutant of its natural chemokine. More specifically, she assess GPCR activation by Calcium (Ca2) flux and chemotaxis.

Savannah Stanley is an undergraduate Student that contributes in the lab