PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Prabhu Arunachalam, PhD

Prabhu Arunachalam received his Ph.D. in India and subsequently trained at Stanford University. His research at the intersection of immunology and vaccinology has defined cooperative mechanisms through which the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system synergize to induce durable protection against infectious diseases. His work during the COVID-19 pandemic identified human innate immune signatures of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination using systems immunology and contributed to the clinical development of two adjuvanted subunit vaccines. By combining systems immunology, single-cell multiomics, and classic experimental approaches, his research seeks to understand the mechanisms that shape immune function over the course of life.

GRADUATE ASSISTANT

Andrew Khalil

Andrew received his Master's in Microbiology and Immunology from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and is currently enrolled in the Molecular Medicine Graduate Program at the University of Arizona. His reasearch focuses on the developmental and epigenetic mechanisms underlying innate immune dysfunction in aging. He is a recipient of the NIH T-32 Predoctoral Training Program: Infection and Inflammation as Drivers of Aging.

RESEARCH PROFESSIONAL I

Taylor Blackwell

Taylor holds dual degrees in Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Applied Mathematics from the University of Arizona, graduating cum laude. She has a strong background in molecular biology, immunology and quantitative data analysis. She investigates cumulative innate immune memory to vaccination across generations.

UNDERGRADUATE MARC SCHOLAR

Andrea Hernandez

Andrea is a senior at the University of Arizona, W.A. Franke Honors College working towards dual degrees in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Biochemistry. She investigates T cell drivers of innate immune memory for her thesis.

UNDERGRADUATE FLINN SCHOLAR

Smilangi Sidhugari

Smilangi is a sophomore at the University of Arizona W. A. Franke Honors College, pursuing a B.S. in Medicine. She is interested in vaccines, and is building a 3D organ-on-chip platform to model vaccine responses in vitro.