This monthly series is a collaboration between research organizations across the state to introduce participants to the exciting research happening in New Mexico. Participating organizations include UNM Main Campus and Health Sciences, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Tech, Sandia National Laboratories, and Los Alamos National Laboratories.
Sessions are held on the 1st Wednesday of the month, from 1 – 2 pm. Please join our mailing list here to receive information on upcoming sessions.
Alison Kell is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology in the School of Medicine at UNM. Dr. Kell completed her PhD and postdoctoral training at the University of Washington before joining UNM in January 2020. Her research focuses on understanding the virus-host molecular interactions that drive severe disease and asymptomatic persistence of hantaviruses in human or rodent reservoir hosts, respectively. Applying a comparative immunology, genomics, and proteomics approach, her lab aims to identify critical interactions during hantavirus infections that lead to fatal immune activation in human hantavirus patients.
Rob Miller is a Distinguished Professor of Biology who has been at the University of New Mexico since 1994. He is a founding member and current Director of the Center for Evolutionary & Theoretical Immunology at UNM. In addition, Rob has served as a Program Director and, more recently, the Deputy Division Director of the Division of Integrative Organismal Biology in the Directorate for Biological Science at the U.S. National Science Foundation. Rob is an immunologist interested in evolution of the vertebrate adaptive immune system. He has worked with a wide variety of species including amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, with particular focus on the marsupials, monotremes and squamate reptiles. Most recently his research has focused on unconventional T cell receptors and novel T cell subsets found in species other than humans and mice, and the evolution of antibody genetics and structure.
Zoom Link: https://hsc-unm.zoom.us/j/93116182996#success
Password: Innovation
Cory Windorff is an Assistant Professor in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department at NMSU. Prof. Windorff completed his PhD at the University of California-Irvine, which included a one year internship at Los Alamos National Lab. Cory undertook postdoctoral studies at Florida State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology before joining the faculty at NMSU in August 2020. Cory's research focuses on the synthesis and reactivity of f-element compounds with a focus on bonding and electronic structure. The f-elements (the actinides and the rare earths) play a critical role in clean energy generation, defense applications, medicine, and more.
Chris Baker is an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at New Mexico State University. Dr. Baker earned a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry in 2012 from Florida State University, and was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arizona (2012 – 2014) and Sandia National Labs, Livermore (2015). He was an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee (2015 – 2020) before moving to NMSU in 2020. The Baker Bioanalysis Lab applies expertise in separation science and microfluidics to develop technologies that enable challenging measurements in biochemistry and chemical neuroscience. Recent efforts have focused on the integration of capillary electrophoresis with Taylor dispersion analysis to achieve biomolecular size determinations from nL samples at nM concentrations. The lab also develops technologies for ex vivo brain tissue culture, working towards a brain-on-chip model applicable to neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Zoom Link: https://hsc-unm.zoom.us/j/93116182996#success
Password: Innovation
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Director, Center for Healthcare Equity in Kidney Disease (CHEK-D), Director, Faculty Research Development, UNM Health Sciences – Center for Healthcare Equity in Kidney Disease (CHEK-D): Enhancing Equity Across the Kidney Care Continuum
Professor, UNM School of Law
Sandia National Laboratories
Oleg Davydovich is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Sandia National Laboratories. His doctoral research centered on developing innovative strategies for the programmed deconstruction of sustainable polymeric materials. Oleg collaborates with Michael Kent in the Department of Environmental Systems and Biology. Their research is dedicated to exploring chemical conversion methods for commercial polyethylene materials, aiming to transform them into valuable chemical feedstocks. A key aspect of their work involves designing more sustainable chemical conversion processes that facilitate the deconstruction of polyethylene under oxidative conditions. In addition to his work in the environmental systems biology group, Oleg also engages with the Organic Materials Science Department, where he focuses on the energy-efficient production of high-performance polymeric materials. His multidisciplinary approach combines insights from both environmental science and materials engineering to advance sustainable practices in polymer chemistry.
Sandia National Laboratories
Pat Finley is a Computer Scientist at Sandia National Laboratories. His research focuses on computational models and artificial intelligence (AI) approaches to advance healthcare, global public health, and computational biology. His research teams developed and fielded large-scale epidemiological and healthcare delivery models in response to global pandemic influenza, Ebola, and COVID-19 outbreaks. Sandia teams are collaborating with the VA and other national laboratories in precision medicine research applying deep-learning patient-trajectory models to predict risk for suicide, CVD, and metabolic diseases in US Veterans. Pat also leads AI/ML research on remote monitoring of observable symptom patterns indicative of changes in disease severity and progression.
Associate Professor, Pediatrics and Neurosciences
Distinguished Professor, Psychology
Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences
Professor, Department of Chemical
and Biological Engineering
Larissa Myaskovsky, PhD
Director of Faculty Research Development
LMyaskovsky@salud.unm.edu
Kara McKinney, MA
Associate Director for Research Development
KMcKinney@salud.unm.edu
Office: 505-272-0885
Physical Location:
Health Sciences and Services Building
Mailing address:
MSC 08 4560
1 University of New Mexico,
Albuquerque, NM 87131