UVA Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program

02/05/2026

In honor of American Heart Month, the Office of Medical Sciences Outreach and Office of Community Engagement & Health Outcomes are providing UVA team members and trainees (e.g. PhD students), who may not have CPR training, or need a refresher, with a Hands-only CPR course. This event will take place on Wednesday, February 25 from 12:30-2:00PM in the Claude Moore Medical Education Building, room 3110. Space is limited. Lunch will be provided. Scan the QR code to sign up!

11/07/2025

NIH Awards $3 Million to Michael Brown, PhD, for Research on Molecular Genetic Basis for NK Cell Protection Against Viral Infection

Michael Brown, PhD, a professor of medicine, nephrology, and of microbiology, immunology and cancer biology and resident member of the Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research, was awarded a $3 million grant from the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to study how specific natural killer (NK) cell receptors can enhance killing of virus infected cells and deliver antiviral immunity during HIV infection.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the immune system. In most infected persons, HIV destroys immune cells which leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). While HIV infected patients can be effectively treated with antiviral drugs, there is no cure for this disease. Rare HIV infected persons known as ‘elite controllers’ however go on with their lives without ever developing AIDS and without medical intervention. Prior studies have shown that these “elite controllers” share a distinctive genetic signature which may enhance NK killing of HIV infected immune cells, though the basis for this effect remains elusive.

Dr. Brown and two former PhD students, Jack Cronk and Awndre Gamache, uncovered a clue to better understanding how NK cells may protect against HIV. While searching for mouse genetic factors that could increase protection against viral infection, two NK cell receptors, one inhibitory and the other activating, were discovered and shown to work together in a paired fashion to enhance NK killing of virus infected cells.

Results from these studies will help to define the molecular mechanisms driving paired receptor NK cell virus control, to delineate the impact of NK receptor polymorphism and will lay the groundwork for developing next generation antiviral therapies or vaccines to enhance immune protection against viral infection.

Key collaborators on this project include UVA School of Medicine faculty Stefan Bekiranov, PhD, Sepideh Dolatshahi, PhD, Marie-Louis Hammarskjöld, PhD, Jennie Ma, PhD, Coleen McNamara, MD, and Suna Onengut-Gumuscu, PhD

11/07/2025

Alyssa Luz-Ricca was awarded NIH F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders that begins on December 1, 2025. Alyssa is a doctoral candidate in the Neuroscience in the lab of Jung-Bum Shin.

Alyssa received her Bachelor of Science degree from William & Mary in Neuroscience.

We asked Alyssa to tell us about her research and hopes for the future:

Can you tell us about your research?

The Shin Lab does research on genetic and environmental causes of hearing loss, and the role of the primary auditory receptors (hair cells) in these processes. Because mammalian auditory hair cells cannot regenerate, damage to stereocilia can lead to progressive hearing loss. My project investigates a hair cell protein called XIRP2. We have previously shown that XIRP2 repairs actin damage in hair cells after loud noise exposures. By elucidating the upstream regulation of XIRP2 and its role in actin repair, I’m hoping that my project will provide key insights into the molecular pathways enabling hair cells to respond to damage, offering potential therapeutic targets to prevent progressive hearing loss.

What drives or motivates your scientific pursuits?

I have a very fundamental curiosity about how molecules and cells can build a functional nervous system! I love using molecular biology techniques to investigate big neuroscience questions — like how does hearing work, and what makes people vulnerable to hearing loss? One of my favorite aspects of research is being able to literally see cells and proteins using microscopy!

What are your future goals?

Prior to starting in the UVA BIMS program, I was a postbac at the National Institute of Mental Health. My time at the NIH made me very interested in a future career at a government agency, and being involved in developing research initiatives or grants at the federal level. My involvement in the Science Policy Initiative at UVA has been a great way to learn more about jobs within the science policy space and refine my career goals!

Read more about Student Fellowships on our webpage:

https://med.virginia.edu/bims/whats-new-in-bims/

11/07/2025

“We’re focused on the immune system and understanding how the membranes in immune cells survey our bodies to regulate pathogens and cancers.” - Ilya Levental, PhD, Professor, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics

09/28/2023

Cooler weather is here.
More people hiking.
Don’t be Bob.

12/21/2021

Good advice as we wind down the semester (because we all know “semester” is a constructed time point that is meaningless to science).

The holidays can be stressful for a variety of reasons. If you're feeling overwhelmed, read this fact sheet to learn whether it’s stress or anxiety, and what you can do to cope. https://go.usa.gov/xetAG

11/17/2021

💙🧡💙🧡💙Our Associate Dean!

09/06/2021

Awesome 🤩 🧡💙

WIMS team at the Women's 4 Miler raising money for the UVA Breast Care Program 🧡💙💖

09/02/2021

💙🧡

08/26/2021

🧡💙