Barrier Immunity Section, Lab of Viral Diseases, NIAID, DIR.
The focus of the BIS is to understand the mechanisms that underly viral diseases. The work focuses, predominantly, on understanding the differential disease outcomes between natural hosts of immunodeficiency lentiviral infections and progressive infections. Our studies rely heavily on cellular and molecular immunological analyses in tissues.

Barrier Immunity section 2022: Back row (left to right): Jason Brenchley, Senior Investigator, Andrew Rahmberg, Postdoctoral fellow, Jacob Flynn, Graduate student. Middle row (left to right): Alex Ortiz O’sick, Staff Scientist, Kelsie Brooks, Postdoctoral fellow, Jen Simpson, Postdoctoral fellow. Front row (left to right): Fabiola Castello Casta, postbaccalaureate fellow, Debra Yee, biologist.
Jason Brenchley, Ph.D. (He/Him/His)
Senior Investigator, Barrier Immunity Section
Specialty(s): Pathology, Medical Microbiology
Education:
M.S., 1999, Idaho State University
Ph.D., 2003, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Dr. Brenchley received a master’s degree from Idaho State University in 1999 and received a Ph.D. from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas in 2003. He joined NIH as a research fellow, studying immunopathogenesis and mucosal immunology in HIV-infected individuals. Since 2008, he has become an investigator in the Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and has been a senior investigator since 2013.

Kelsie L. Brooks, Ph.D. (She/Her/Hers)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Education:
Ph.D., Emory University
B.S., Oklahoma University
I am investigating SARS-CoV-2 infections in human samples and non-human primate models, particularly exploring gastrointestinal pathology and inflammation. Additionally, I have examined impacts of SARS-CoV-2 infections on the gut microbiome.

Fabiola Marie Castello Casta, B.S. (She/Her/Hers)
Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Education:
B.S., Universidad de Puerto Rico, Cayey
Languages Spoken: Spanish

Jacob Flynn, B.S. (He/Him/His)
Ph.D. Graduate Student
Education:
B.S., Cornell University
My research aims to understand bacterial-mediated mechanisms underlying microbial translocation in progressively SIV-infected Asian macaques. We’ve found that the bacteria that translocate are a subset of the total bacterial microbiome, and that these translocating taxa have unique functional properties that can be chemically inhibited.

Alexandra M. Ortiz O’Sick, Ph.D. (She/Her/Hers)
Staff Scientist
Education:
Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
BA, University of Virginia
Languages Spoken: Spanish
My research is focused on investigating the intersection between the microbiome, immunity, and disease in non-human primate models and hosts of SIV for the purposes of understanding disease mechanisms in people living with HIV.

Andrew Rahmberg, Ph.D. (He/Him/His)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Education:
Ph.D., Harvard University
B.S., Boston University
My work explores the mechanisms by which natural hosts for SIV have co-evolved with SIV to avoid disease progression.

Jennifer Simpson, Ph.D. (She/Her/Hers)
Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow
Education:
Ph.D., University of Queensland, Australia
B.S., University of Queensland, Australia
My research focus is evaluating the physiological role and clonotypic structure of antigen specific CD8+ T cells in multiple anatomical sites during SIV infection in nonhuman primates.

Debra Yee, B.S. (She/Her/Hers)
Biologist
Education:
B.S., University of Maryland
I am exploring the pathogenesis of emerging viral infections in old world nonhuman primates. These studies will determine the appropriateness of NHPs as a model of human viral infections which will help in the development of antiviral and vaccine development for emerging RNA viral infections.
Former Research Group Members
Charlotte Langner, BS (2019-2021, post-bac), currently Ph.D. student UC Berkeley
JC Mudd, Ph.D. (2014-2020, post-doc), currently assistant professor Tulane University
Stephen Lai, BS (2016-2019, post-bac), currently medical student California Northstate University
Carly Starke, BS (2015-2019, Ph.D. student), currently post-doc Fred Hutch
Sarah DiNapoli, BS (2014-2016, post-bac), currently MSTP student Johns Hopkins University
Zachary Klase, Ph.D. (2012-2014, post-doc), currently Associate professor Drexel University
Molly Perkins, D.Phil. (2011-2014, post-doc), currently Associate director, Bluebird Bio
Nina Calantone, BS (2012-2014, post-bac), currently MSTP student Northwestern University
Nichole Klatt, Ph.D. (2009-2012, post-doc), currently Professor University of Minnesota
Lauren Canary, BS (2010-2012, post-bac), currently Epidemiologist Centers for Disease Control