We aim to generate new knowledge that will ultimately translate to better prevention and treatment of immunity-driven pregnancy disorders (e.g., preeclampsia, premature birth), sexually transmitted infections (e.g., HIV, herpes simplex, chlamydia), and diseases that are influenced by hormones and biological sex (e.g., autoimmune diseases, inflammatory fluctuations during the menstrual cycle).
Our team members come from many backgrounds, nationalities, ethnicities, and cultures. Together, we learn and innovate. We are invested in each other’s successes, goals, and careers. We collaborate extensively with investigators in different departments and institutions. We possess broad and advanced immunological and technologic skills, from standard immune assays to cutting edge spatial and single-cell transcriptomics, from basic diagnostic tests for communicable pathogens to complex virus sequencing, from classic DNA/RNA gel blotting to crystal digital polymerase chain reaction, from basic descriptive statistics to complex systems data analysis and visualization using coding in R. We leverage our strengths to incrementally and tenaciously push the boundaries of knowledge in reproductive immunity, sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancy-related disorders. We are serious in our scientific pursuits, but we leave room for fun; we love to celebrate each other’s successes and also help each other stand up after failure; we have great passion for our work, but we also cherish our families, friends, and pets. Maybe someday you will join us?
As scientists, we dedicate ourselves to uncovering new truths about the natural world. As human beings, we strive to cultivate the goodness within us, to respect our fellow citizens and the environment, and to help those who are less fortunate, both people and animals. We choose to ignore the noise and chaos that may arise from our political leaders, continue to believe in and live by our ideals, and refuse to allow anyone, including ourselves, to become cynical about this motto.