Research Statement
"The single biggest threat to man's continued
dominance on the planet is the virus"
-Joshua Lederberg
As Lederberg claims, “virus[es]” have the potential to destroy the human race as we know it. Through my future research, I will aid in the prevention of the potential danger of viruses, specifically HIV. My research agenda centers around understanding the processes that underlie HIV infection and exploiting them to develop new treatments, and potentially a cure for HIV.
Current Research
I now pursue my interest in an HIV cure as a student researcher in the Turner lab within the HIV cure center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. To work towards an HIV cure, the Turner lab focuses on reactivation of HIV proviruses in latent cells. This thereby allows the killing of the infected cells by the immune system. Through this experience I will gain experience in biochemical and molecular biological techniques that I can apply to a future career in research and medicine.