I am very excited to join the students, faculty and staff at Hampden-Sydney College!  I am originally from the West Coast, having been born in California and raised in eastern Washington State.  I moved across the country to attend college, and after earning a B.S. in biology from University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (formerly Philadelphia College of Pharmacy), I moved to Virginia to obtain my Ph.D. in Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology from University of Virginia (UVA). It was during my time at UVA that I became very interested in lung physiology, particularly how the lung repairs itself following infection with respiratory viruses, such as influenza.  Because influenza is so prevalent, we know a lot about the immune response to the virus; however, we know relatively little about the host response mechanisms that allow us to actually recover from the infection.  Thus my research is primarily focused on how specific innate immune cell types contribute to pulmonary regeneration after influenza infection.  I also recently returned from South Australia, where I was working for Vaxine Pty. Ltd., a vaccine manufacturer specializing in adjuvant (the immune stimulating agent in vaccines) design and efficacy.  While at Vaxine I was able to apply my doctoral research to clinical trials being conducted in patients receiving a new influenza vaccine.  I loved living and working ‘Down Under’ but I am so glad to be home in Virginia!  I am very much looking forward to joining the biology department and becoming a part of the Hampden-Sydney community.

With “Banjo”—a rescued koala