We are incredibly proud of Eric for this achievement and are thrilled that we can keep seeing him around.

Graduate student Josh Samuels will present his research about SHP-1 in Alzheimer’s disease at the 2024 Inhibitory Receptors in Immune Homeostasis, Disease, and Therapy Keystone Symposia meeting in Breckenridge, Colorado.

This award is given to Echols Scholars to support independent research. Lexi attended the Sigma Xi iFORE student research conference to present her project concerning the role of CLEC7A in tauopathies.

The Lukens lab participated in the annual hike along with a great turnout of other BIG center leaf peepers! Thank you to lab members Lexi Johnson and Josh Samuels for organizing the event this year.

Alexis M. Johnson was awarded a prestigious prize in the “Ramón y Cajal, Who?” competition at the annual Neuroscience Graduate Program retreat.

John Lukens PhD has now achieved ultimate stardom: as a bobblehead.

The Lukens lab hosted some members in the Charlottesville community as a part of UVA’s Mini-Medical School program!

Congratulations to graduate student Nick Natale who scored a 1% percentile on his first submission F31 NRSA proposal!

Lukens lab member’s participate in the Charlottesville Women’s 4 Miler run/walk fundraiser and Bike MS event!

Second year Lexi Vesselinov will join other undergraduates as a part of this honors program at UVA.

Ingrassia Family Echols Scholars Research Grants are awarded to undergraduate Echols Scholars to support independent or faculty directed research. Ava will continue to study the effects of inflammasome activation on seizure propagation with this award.

In the Lukens lab’s most recent attempt to be the coolest/wackiest lab in the BIG center, all members went all out during the return of our lab spirit week

Granted by UVA’s Queer Alumni Network (QVA), the Page Award is granted to undergraduate and graduate students based upon community engagement, campus involvement in LGBTQ+ spaces/missions, and academic performance.

Ashley, Hannah, Kristine, Coco, and Jessica all completed degrees from UVA this year! 💙 🧡

Coco’s thesis for the Distinguished Majors Program (DMP) is titled “Roles for the microglial receptor CLEC7A and the SYK/CARD9 signaling axis in Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis“.

Congratulations to Kristine Zengeler for defending her dissertation research and being officially named Dr Glue!

Congratulations to undergraduate Coco Holliday for accepting an offer from Harvard University to join their Immunology PhD program. We are incredibly proud and can’t wait to see all of the amazing science she will do!

Congratulations to undergraduate Abhi Verma for being awarded a prestigious Harrison Fellowship, and also for crushing the Charlottesville 10 miler!

Congratulations to Dr. Ashley Bolte and Dr. Katherine Bruch who both matched for residency!

Congratulations to Dr. Hannah Ennerfelt for being named the Outstanding Graduate Student in Neuroscience this year, as well as winning the Peach Outstanding Graduate Student Award!