Prashant Kaushal

Prashant Kaushal is a Postdoctoral scholar in Dr. Mehdi Bouhaddou’s lab in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG) at UCLA and co-affiliated with the Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences (QCBio). He earned his Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology in Seoul, South Korea, where he utilized mass spectrometry proteomics to investigate post-translational modifications on the N-terminal end of proteins. He continued to pursue his postdoctoral work in Prof. Jyoti Choudhary’s lab at the Institute of Cancer Research, London. During this period, he was involved in developing high-throughput proteomics methods to explore changes in the native structure of proteins. Before joining UCLA, he worked in a proteomics core facility at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where he expanded his technical proficiency in operating state-of-the-art mass spectrometry instruments. In the Bouhaddou lab at UCLA, he is interested in applying his prior experience in mass spectrometry to the field of virology. His research is focused on developing novel chemical and computational approaches to globally quantify post-translational modifications on newly synthesized viral proteins in an unbiased manner, with applications to other areas of biology.

Arissa Young

Arissa Young earned her B.S. in Biology from Tufts University. She then went on to attend medical school at Tufts University School of Medicine where she earned her MD and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor medical society. She completed internal medicine residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she also participated in the Vanderbilt Stimulating Access to Research during Residency (V-STARR) program. During her time in the V-STARR program, she worked in Jeff Rathmell’s lab where she investigated lipid metabolism in CD4+ T cells. Following residency, she matched at UCLA for rheumatology fellowship where she was also admitted to the Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) program. As a STAR rheumatology fellow, Arissa is currently earning her PhD in cell and developmental biology in the lab of Heather Christfok, PhD. Her PhD project is focused on the adipocyte to myofibroblast transition in a mouse model of systemic sclerosis. Clinically, Arissa is interested in systemic sclerosis and sees patients with this disease in her clinic each week with her clinical mentor, Elizabeth Volkmann, MD.

Helen Vuong

Helen Vuong earned her B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She continued her graduate education at UCLA, earning her Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology under the mentorship of Dr. Nicholas C. Brecha. During her graduate studies, Vuong investigated the anatomical and electrophysiological regulation of retinal microcircuits by neuropeptides, including somatostatin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. For postdoctoral training, she worked with Dr. Elaine Y. Hsiao at UCLA, studying the role of the maternal microbiome in fetal brain development, including modulation of neuronal connectivity, activity and function, and behavior. She is a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award fellow, where she conducts research while pursuing her passion in education and outreach. In addition, Vuong was recently awarded the NIH-National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Pathway to Independence Award that will facilitate her transition into an independent research position.

Einav Tayeb-Fligelman

Einav Tayeb-Fligelman is a postdoctoral fellow at the Eisenberg laboratory at the UCLA-DOE institute, a wife, and a mother of three amazing children. She completed all her degrees at the Technion- Israel institute of technology. Her PhD work, focused on functional amyloid-like fibrils, resulted in many exciting findings, including discovering a novel amyloid-like architecture, which was published in Science journal. At the Eisenberg laboratory, she studies the interactions and cross-seeding propensities of the two main proteins involved in Alzheimer’s disease. Einav is also participating and coordinating a collaborative project in which they study amyloid formation by the Nucleoprotein of SARS-CoV-2, its role in viral replication, and the potential of our de novo designed amyloid-inhibitors as treatments for Covid-19. For her studies, she is integrating methods from biochemistry, cell biology, X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, and more. Along with her research, she is also very passionate about teaching and about promoting inclusion and equity in science. With two former female members of the Eisenberg lab, they founded a group for women in science (WISE) which Einav has been managing for over a year now. This group was initiated for the Eisenberg female lab members but now had expanded to include women scientists from other labs and departments at UCLA. The aim is to empower our WISE members, introduce them to the various professional paths available in academia and industry, and provide a safe environment for sharing and seeking support. The proof that men and women, parents or not, could be equally capable and successful is found in Dr. Eaton’s life story, achievements, and commitment to her science and family.