LAB MEMBERS
JOSHUA BRYANT, PH.D.
Postdoctoral Associate
Josh graduated from Hardin-Simmons University with a B.S. in Chemistry, then earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin. His Ph.D. thesis focused on mitochondrial folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism and its role in the etiology of neural tube defects. As a postdoctoral associate in the West Lab, he is investigating mitochondrial dysfunction as a trigger of the innate immune system and how this contributes to the progression of Gulf War Illness and other diseases.
YUANJIU ABBY LEI, M.S.
Ph.D. Student
Abby earned her B.S. degree in Biotechnology from Shandong University. She continued her research training at Shandong University, focusing on signal transduction in non-small cell lung cancer for her M.S. degree. She is now a graduate student in the TAMHSC Medical Science Ph.D. program, and her thesis project focuses on how mitochondria regulate type I interferon responses in mouse models of human disease.
SYLVIA TORRES-ODIO, M.S.
Ph.D. Student
Sylvia earned a B.S. in Biochemistry and a M.S. in Molecular Biology from the University of Havanna. Her M.S. thesis examined links between HLA alleles and autoimmune diseases. As a TAMHSC Medical Science Ph.D. student in the West Lab, she is characterizing the role of two novel mitochondrial proteins in innate immune signaling and antiviral immunity.
ASHLEY WINTERS, B.S.
Ph.D. Student
Ashley earned a B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior from the University of California, Davis. She is currently a TAMHSC Medical Science Ph.D. student and is investigating mitochondrial DNA instability as a key factor influencing the immune microenvironment during cancer progression.
SAEED MENISSY
Undergraduate Researcher
Saeed is majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and plans to pursue medical school or a graduate degree following graduation. Saeed performs computational image analysis for several ongoing projects in the lab.
SERENA KANG
Undergraduate Researcher
Serena is majoring in Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M. She currently works with Abby and plans on going to graduate school after finishing her BS degree.
AUSTIN ABEL
Undergraduate Researcher
Austin is an undergraduate at Texas A&M currently studying Biomedical Engineering. He plans on pursuing either a Master's or PhD post graduation.
KAYSIE FAAS
Undergraduate Researcher
Kaysie is double majoring in biology and biochemistry at TAMU. After graduation, she plans on attending medical school, and would like to specialize in dermatology.
LAB ALUMNI
CHRISTINE BIRDWELL, PH.D.
2017-2020 Postdoctoral Associate
Presently, Research Scientist
Dept. of Leukemia, Bhalla Lab
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
CAMILA GUERRA MARTINEZ, PH.D.
2017-2018 Postdoctoral Associate
Presently, Assistant Professor
Dept. of Medicine
Universidade Ceuma, Maranhão, Brazil
A. PHILLIP WEST, PH.D.
Principal Investigator
Phillip received dual B.S. degrees in Biology and Science Education in from North Carolina State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Immunobiology from Yale School of Medicine under the mentorship of Sankar Ghosh. He then completed an American Cancer Society postdoctoral fellowship with Gerald Shadel in the Department of Pathology at Yale and moved to Texas A&M in 2016.
LAURA CIACCIA WEST, PH.D.
Co-Principal Investigator
Laura received a B.A. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Boston University. She earned a Ph.D. in the lab of Peter Cresswell and performed postdoctoral research with Albert Bothwell, both in the Department of Immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine. In addition to co-managing the lab, Laura is a member of the pre-clerkship curricular team in the College of Medicine.