Caroline Page said, "My training trip was to Washington University in St. Louis where I trained in the lab of Dr. Ali Ellebedy. The Ellebedy lab focuses on understanding B cell responses against rapidly developing pathogens such as influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2. The purpose of my training was to learn applicable B cell techniques such as flow cytometry, B cell isolation, and IgG B cell ELIspots. The goal was that these techniques could then be applied to my thesis project at UGA which is focused on understanding the B cell response to the two different influenza B lineages. This was an excellent experience where I gained valuable knowledge in specific laboratory techniques and made professional connections that will continue throughout my scientific career."
Justin Shepard said, “I was given the opportunity through the CIERR Network to travel to Icahn School of Medicine in New York City to train under the renowned Dr. Florian Krammer. I explored the capabilities and limitations of producing recombinant influenza proteins in the baculovirus/Sf9 expression system. My project as a PhD student under Dr. Mark Tompkins at the University of Georgia aims to investigate novel approaches to influenza protein vaccines, and learning this expression system under Dr. Krammer added to my toolbox the techniques necessary to harness this versatile expression system for vaccine development.”