Awarded in 2018
Home Department: Immunology
Faculty Advisors: Sean Bendall (Pathology) and Stephen Quake (Bioengineering and Applied Physics)

Research Title: An integrated multi-omic single-cell atlas of human B cell identity

Research Description: To protect against infectious disease, humans have evolved a class of antibody-producing white blood cells called B cells. Different subclasses of B cells work together in a network to achieve this protection—some mount a robust, short-term response to clear a current infection, while others form a memory of previous microbial encounters to prevent reinfection years later. Many facets of this complex system have never been measured, limiting our understanding of the key determinants of an effective immune response. Consequently, this lack of knowledge severely compromises our ability to generate effective vaccines and therapies. By combining quantitative single cell genomic and proteomic technologies with machine learning, David will interrogate the dynamics of the immune response to vaccination and viral infection to gain a holistic understanding of the system. This comprehensive map of effective immunity can guide the design of the next generation of vaccines and therapies.

WHERE IS HE NOW?

David is a postdoc in the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.