Lavanya Visvabharathy, PhD
Experience
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Postdoctoral Fellow
- Present8 years 5 months
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Postdoctoral Research Associate
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University of Illinois at Chicago
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- 1 year
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Certified Pharmacy Technician
Walgreens Pharmacy
- 6 years 11 months
Chicago, Illinois and New York, NY
Education
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University of Illinois at Chicago
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)Microbiology and Immunology, concentration Neuroscience
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University of Illinois at Chicago
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)Biology/neuroscience
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Groups
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Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) Chicago Chapter
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CIEE Alumni Global Network
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UIC GEMS Alumni
My Ph.D research incorporated a variety of different manipulations of mouse models of bacterial infection, often utilizing multiplex arrays, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence to understand host-pathogen interactions. My interests span different areas of life science research, including host defense against microbial pathogens, understanding how drugs might modulate immunity, neuro-immune communication, and how drug metabolites may influence immunity long after the active form of the drug has been excreted.
My postdoctoral work focuses on understanding the role of CD1-restricted lipid-specific T cells in the context of systemic Staphylococcus aureus MRSA infections. The ultimate goal of this work will be to incorporate immunodominant MRSA lipid antigens into a multi-component subunit vaccine to prevent recurrent MRSA infections.
I am currently conducting research on the T cell response to Covid-19 infection, with a particular focus on how this might change in patients with lingering post-infectious neurological symptoms.