Postdoctoral Fellow

Bennie—an unapologetically Nigerian-American scientist with a knack for exploration! She holds a PhD in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from the University of South Carolina. When she’s not decoding the secrets of science, you’ll find her on some wild adventures—volunteering at the GA Aquarium, spinning around the dance floor with American ballroom moves, and whipping up culinary storms. But her true passion lies in exploring the globe and plunging into the mesmerizing world beneath the waves. Manta rays are her spirit buddies.

Currently, she’s rocking it as a postdoc, digging into how a combo treatment of AZD5582 (SMACm) and ABT-199 (venetoclax) could shake up the game in clearing pesky SIV reservoirs and slowing viral rebound in rhesus macaques.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Venkata graduated from Texas A&M University Kingsville with an MS in chemistry and then received his PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, TX. As a graduate student, he studied the consequences of HIV-1 integration in human astrocytes and how LTR activity impacts the functional responses of HIV-infected astrocytes. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, long walks with his dog, Rakhi, and practicing photography.

Venkata’s current work focuses on identifying cellular and anatomical sources of on-ART viremia during SIV latency reversal in adult rhesus macaques.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Omotayo (‘Tayo) Farinre obtained his PhD in Molecular Virology under the mentorship of Prof. Thumbi N’dungu and Dr. Jaclyn Mann at the HIV Pathogenesis Program at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban South Africa. He joined the Chahroudi lab in 2021, where he is using pediatric nonhuman primate models to test HIV cure interventions that target the establishment of viral reservoirs. When he is not in the lab, he loves to hang out with his family and friends watching movies and anime. He also follows socio-political matters in podcasts and general media and tries to stay fit by working out at the gym.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Jairo received his MD from the National University of Colombia and completed his residency in pediatrics at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine. He is currently undergoing subspecialty fellowship training in pediatric infectious diseases at Emory University and is a postdoctoral fellow in the Chahroudi lab. His main research interests are the understanding of the mechanisms of HIV latency formation in children and the role of immune system ontogenesis in HIV reservoirs. Jairo is also interested in the development of immunotherapeutics as latency reversal agents. Jairo received the prestigious Pediatric Scientist Development Program K12 Award and is recognized as an NIH Office of AIDS Scholar.

Previous Graduate Student

Vidisha was a PhD Student in the Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis Program with a background in public health and vaccine epidemiology. Vidisha’s dissertation research was focused on the reservoir reducing capacity of using CD8+ T cell depletion + N-803 with SIV-specific monoclonal antibodies. During COVID, Vidisha conducted research on antiviral T cell responses in children with SARS-CoV-2 and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).

PhD Candidate

Tehillah is a PhD candidate in the Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis Program co-mentored by Dr. Chahroudi and Dr. Susan Ribeiro. She is interested in understanding host-pathogen interactions that direct HIV persistence in childhood. Based on a retrospective cohort of SIV-infected infant rhesus macaques, she is currently studying how the metabolome and immune responses impact reservoir size and viral rebound.

Medical Student

Jenna was a medical student at Emory conducting pediatric HIV research in our lab during her medical school tenure. She is currently beginning her a residency program in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Her research interests include the care of people with during pregnancy and the postpartum period as well as prevention of perinatal transmission of HIV. She hopes to utilize her training to serve a global population facing barriers in accessing care.

Lead Research Specialist

Lexy is a Lead Research Specialist in the Chahroudi Lab working on infant SIV studies as part of the PAVE Martin Delaney Collaboratory. Outside of work she enjoys hiking, cooking, reading, and playing with her daughter Raven. Lexy plans to pursue a medical degree.

Research Specialist

Liza graduated from the University of Georgia in May 2022 with a BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and minor in Public Health. In the lab, she currently works with Bennie on a study of latency reversal and apoptosis promotion as a method to reduce viral reservoirs. Liza will be attending medical school beginning July 2024.

Research Specialist

Kedan is a Research Specialist who provides support in ongoing adult and infant SIV studies. She completed her master’s in medical science at Georgia State University. Outside of work, she enjoys reading.

Undergraduate Student

Soma is an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Chahroudi lab. She is lmajoring in Human Health and minoring in Women's, Gender, Sexuality at Emory University, with plans to pursue a medical career in Gynecology or Pediatrics after graduation. In her free time, Soma likes to go thrifting, going on runs with her dogs, and going to concerts!

Lab Manager

Patrick is the Chahroudi Lab Manager and new father of a second daughter. Stayed tuned for a more detailed bio here once he gets some more sleep…