The iDPCC is thrilled to spotlight several CEIRR researchers who earned a poster presentation award at the <a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/news/ceirr-annual-network-meeting-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">4th Annual CEIRR Network Meeting</a> (ANM). The fourth spotlight of this series is Sydney Gang, a Ph.D. student in <a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/search?keyword=Scott%20Hensley" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Scott Hensley’s lab</a> at the University of Pennsylvania, which is affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania CEIRR (<a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/centers/penn-ceirr" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Penn-CEIRR</a>). Gang earned First Place in the Immunity, Transmission, Breadth of Protection category for her poster titled “Longitudinal antibody dynamics in pediatric populations after A(H3N2) infection.”<figure class="image image-style-align-right"><img src="https://ceirr-public-website-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/Sydney_headshot_embed_20p_f89c7a9772.jpg?updated_at=2025-07-15T21:37:26.802Z"><figcaption>Sydney Gang, Ph.D. Student in Scott Hensley’s Lab.</figcaption></figure>“I am intrigued by how our immune responses can have different specificities against flu viruses, leading some individuals to be more susceptible to infection by a certain variant and others more protected,” says Gang. This motivated her to study how influenza viruses accumulate mutations and evolve within a single human by assessing the pressures placed on the viruses by the human body. One major pressure is the antibody response from the human immune system. If a virus acquires a mutation during a human infection, it could circulate among others in a future flu season. However, given that most adults have been exposed to several influenza viruses throughout their lifetimes, Gang and her colleague Dr. Ashley Sobel Leonard, studied the antibody responses in children infected with influenza H3N2 during the 2022-2023 flu season. In a subset of the children, they found relatively narrow antibody responses against an H3N2 epitope that had acquired a mutation the following season, which suggests that influenza viruses may be evolving to escape antibodies present in children. Gang notes, “understanding the mechanisms underlying these differences in antibody responses is important for developing more effective vaccine strategies.” She aims to further this mission by studying the “relationship between immunity and viral evolution.”Gang credits the CEIRR Program’s “incredibly collaborative environment and network” for pushing her research forward. She described her collaboration with <a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/search?keyword=Jesse%20Bloom" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Jesse Bloom’s lab</a> as “invaluable for this project,” due to the specialized technique she learned, called a sequencing-based neutralization assay. Because of the partnerships with Dr. Bloom’s lab and clinical fellow Dr. Sobel Leonard, Gang says that she is “grateful to be able to learn from and work with groups that bring important insights into my project.” She aims to keep that collaborative energy, especially with CEIRR experts, as she continues her research career.To learn more about Gang personally, the iDPCC asked several insightful questions:1. Who/what inspired you to go into science in general?A. In high school, I was drawn towards the biological sciences because I felt it provided a means to both understand fundamental mechanisms and make a tangible and lasting impact on human health.2. What is one thing on your bucket list?A. Taking a road trip along the east coast.3. How have your career interests and plans changed over time?&nbsp;A. I had not planned to pursue grad school after college and worked for several years in an academic lab and later in a biotech startup. During that time, I was lucky to have met several key mentors who helped solidify in me a love for science and learning, which is ultimately why I decided to pursue grad school.4. What are your plans following your training?A. I hope to pursue vaccine development/drug discovery work either in academia or industry, but I am keeping my mind open to other careers.5. What is your favorite mundane lab chore?A. Restocking shelves with lab supplies while listening to a good podcast.6. Do you have any hobbies or special interests that you'd like to share?A. I have recently started baking after being fed so many cookies in the Hensley lab. I’m always looking for interesting recipes so please feel free to share if you have any!

Spotlight

Penn-CEIRR

Influenza

Awards

Gang credits collaboration for helping her grow as a scientist and secure a poster award for her work on influenza viral evolution within individuals.

Sydney Gang, Ph.D. Student in Scott Hensley’s Lab.

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Sydney Gang, Ph.D. Student and ANM Poster Winner, Assesses the Impact of Antibodies on Influenza Evolution

The CEIRR Network would like to congratulate Dr. Daniel Perez, Dr. Amy Baker, and Dr. Stanley Perlman on their recent elections to the <a href="https://www.nasonline.org/news/2025-nas-election/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National Academy of Sciences</a> and Dr. Andrea Sant on being named a <a href="https://www.aai.org/Awards/Career-Awards/Distinguished-Fellows-of-AAI/Current-Recipients" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Distinguished Fellow of the American Association of Immunologists (AAI)</a>!<figure class="image image-style-align-right"><img src="https://ceirr-public-website-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/daniel_perez_250_a1e12eb63c.png?updated_at=2025-07-11T13:23:59.903Z"><figcaption>Daniel Perez, Ph.D.</figcaption></figure><a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/search?keyword=Daniel%20Perez" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Daniel Perez</a>, member of the Center for Research on Influenza Pathogenesis and Transmission (<a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/centers/cript" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CRIPT</a>), was highlighted in a recent article by <a href="https://research.uga.edu/news/buell-perez-elected-to-national-academy-of-sciences/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">UGA Research</a>. In this article, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Lisa K. Nolan commented on his achievement with the following, “Dr. Daniel Perez is a visionary scientist whose life’s work has focused on unraveling influenza viruses. His research in understanding viral pathogenesis and transmission among host species is groundbreaking and has provided critical insight into new prevention strategies and vaccine approaches. We are truly proud his academic home is in the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, where he is a critical partner in the work of two world-known centers — the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center and the Center for Vaccines and Immunology.”&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-align-left"><img src="https://ceirr-public-website-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/Amy_Baker_Headshot_2_250x250_df27ff1bbc.png?updated_at=2025-07-11T13:24:00.564Z"><figcaption>Amy Baker, D.V.M., Ph.D.</figcaption></figure>Lead scientist at the U.S.D.A. National Animal Disease Center and University of Pennsylvania CEIRR (<a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/centers/penn-ceirr" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Penn-CEIRR</a>) member, <a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/search?keyword=Amy%20Baker" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Amy Baker</a>, was recognized for her achievement by the <a href="https://www.ars.usda.gov/oc/nas/ars-national-academy-of-sciences-members/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Agricultural Research Service Office of Communications</a>. The release emphasizes Baker’s achievements within veterinary medicine: “Baker's systematic genetic and antigenic characterization of IAV revealed previously unrecognized diversity and established a baseline in the United States for monitoring ongoing evolutionary changes in the viruses, as well as the relatedness of U.S. isolates to those found in swine in other parts of the world. This information has also been pivotal to the improvement of commercial swine influenza vaccines.”<figure class="image image-style-align-right"><img src="https://ceirr-public-website-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/Perlman_Stanley_2024_02_250x250_b2018c8c67.png?updated_at=2025-07-11T13:24:00.610Z"><figcaption>Stanley Perlman, M.D., Ph.D.</figcaption></figure>St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital CEIRR (<a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/centers/sjceirr" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SJCEIRR</a>) member and professor of microbiology &amp; immunology and pediatrics, <a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/search?keyword=Stanley%20Perlman" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Stanley Perlman</a>, has also been featured for his election to the National Academy of Sciences. In an <a href="https://medicine.uiowa.edu/content/stanley-perlman-elected-national-academy-sciences" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">article by the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine</a>, Denise Jamieson, M.D., M.P.H., UI vice president for medical affairs and the Tyrone D. Artz Dean of the Carver College of Medicine is quoted. “This is truly a well-deserved honor. Dr. Perlman’s dedicated years of research on coronaviruses gave us a vital research foundation when the pandemic began in 2020, and have reaped enormous benefits for society. He embodies Iowa’s ethos of collaboration, and his willingness to share his time and expertise have advanced science for all of us and created new generations of scientists to carry his legacy forward.”<figure class="image image-style-align-left"><img src="https://ceirr-public-website-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/Sant_Headshot_2_250x250_72142386ec.png?updated_at=2025-07-11T13:24:00.588Z"><figcaption>Andrea Sant, Ph.D.</figcaption></figure>Lastly, University of Rochester professor and member of the Center for Influenza Disease and Emergence Research (<a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/centers/cider" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CIDER</a>), <a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/search?keyword=Andrea%20Sant" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Andrea Sant</a> has been named a <a href="https://www.aai.org/Awards/Career-Awards/Distinguished-Fellows-of-AAI/Current-Recipients" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Distinguished Fellow of the American Association of Immunologists (AAI)</a> for her illustrious career and outstanding scientific contributions. This designation honors active, long-term members (25 or more years of cumulative membership) who, in addition to their service to AAI, have demonstrated one or more of the following:<ul><li>excellence in research accomplishment in the field of immunology</li><li>exceptional leadership to the immunology community in academia, foundations, nonprofits, industry, or government at a national or international level</li><li>notable distinction as an educator</li></ul>

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CEIRR scientists receive prestigious recognition in the scientific community for their long-standing scientific contributions.

Drs. Daniel Perez, Andrea Sant, Amy Baker, and Stanley Perlman

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CEIRR Scientists Recognized for Their Contributions to the Scientific Community

The iDPCC is thrilled to spotlight several CEIRR researchers who earned a poster presentation award at the <a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/news/ceirr-annual-network-meeting-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">4th Annual CEIRR Network Meeting (ANM)</a>. Giovana Ciacci Zanella, D.V.M., is one of CEIRR’s talented members, a Graduate Research Assistant in the <a href="https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/ames/nadc/virus-and-prion-research/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Virus and Prion Research Unit</a> at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Animal Disease Center, and affiliate of the University of Pennsylvania CEIRR (<a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/centers/penn-ceirr" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Penn-CEIRR</a>). Ciacci Zanella was awarded First Place in the Immunology category for her poster titled “A multivalent nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccine against influenza A virus circulating in swine.”<figure class="image image-style-align-right image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://ceirr-public-website-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/Giovana_Zanella_and_Amy_Baker_061125_embedded_image_500x429_9fec13894c.jpg?updated_at=2025-07-11T13:09:34.983Z"><figcaption>Giovana Ciacci Zanella, D.V.M. (left) and her mentor, Amy Baker, D.V.M., Ph.D. (right).</figcaption></figure>Ciacci Zanella notes that controlling the transmission of influenza A virus (IAV) in swine is particularly difficult due to mutations allowing the evasion of host immune defenses. Her study addresses the challenge of co-circulating genetic clades of swine IAV and the constant evolution through multivalent mRNA-lipid nanoparticles (LNP). Representative vaccine antigens were selected to assess the characterization of the mRNA-LNP antibody response and inform whether multivalent mRNA-LNP vaccines can be deployed to potentially minimize the transmission and diversity of IAV in swine. Ciacci Zanella finds her work with influenza A virus particularly meaningful because, “controlling it at an animal level is one of the best ways to prevent it from becoming the next human pandemic.”&nbsp;The CEIRR Program has given Ciacci Zanella access to unique educational opportunities through both innovative research and researchers themselves. She says, “many graduate students worldwide are researching influenza A viruses, but I feel incredibly fortunate to do so within a network that provides such strong support, collaboration, and mentorship opportunities and researchers.” Ciacci Zanella is particularly grateful to her mentor, <a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/search?keyword=amy%20baker#searchBar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Amy Baker</a>, as well as the resources and support provided by Drs. Tavis Anderson, Phillip C. Gauger and Scott Hensley and their teams.&nbsp;To learn more about Zanella herself, the iDPCC asked several insightful questions:&nbsp;1. What are your plans following your training?&nbsp;A. I would like to remain in the veterinary microbiology and public health research field. My plan after my Ph.D. graduation is to seek a post doctoral position, perhaps with some of our great collaborators, and continue to participate in the CEIRR Network.&nbsp;2. Do you have advice for other trainees or students wanting to get started in research?&nbsp;A. Yes, find exceptional mentors and team. I am so grateful for my mentor, Amy. She is why this research experience has been so enjoyable and successful. She is our team’s assertive but thoughtful leader and is a daily inspiration to me. I am also so happy to be part of our team of excellent researchers. Everyone works well together, and they have allowed my training to be productive and enjoyable. &nbsp;&nbsp;3. What technique, skill, or knowledge are you the “go to” person for in your lab?&nbsp;A. I wouldn’t say I’m the go-to for a specific lab skill, but I’ve definitely become the go-to person when someone needs to find something or someone. I’m pretty social and naturally end up making friends with people all over the laboratories and the research center. So, if someone needs to know who’s working on a certain project, who has a specific reagent, or just who to talk to about something, they usually come to me. I really enjoy knowing what everyone is up to and connecting with people.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Vaccine

Ciacci Zanella emphasizes the importance of equilibrium between animals, people, and the environment in her award-winning work focused on influenza A virus.

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Giovana Ciacci Zanella, Graduate Research Assistant and Immunology Poster Winner, Advocates for One Health

The iDPCC is thrilled to spotlight several CEIRR researchers who earned a poster presentation award at the <a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/news/ceirr-annual-network-meeting-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">4th Annual CEIRR Network Meeting</a> (ANM). Our second spotlight of this series is Caroline Kikawa, M.D./Ph.D. student in the <a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/search?keyword=Jesse%20Bloom#searchBar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloom Lab</a> at the University of Washington, which is affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania CEIRR (<a href="https://www.ceirr-network.org/centers/penn-ceirr" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Penn-CEIRR</a>) program. Kikawa earned First Place in the Viral Evolution category for her poster titled “High-Throughput Neutralization Measurements Correlate Strongly with Evolutionary Success of Human Influenza Strains.”&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-align-right image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://ceirr-public-website-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/Kikawa_Loes_image_db24d8550f.jpg?updated_at=2025-06-30T15:54:17.058Z"><figcaption>Caroline Kikawa, M.D./Ph.D. student (left) and lab mate Andrea Loes Ph.D. (right), Bloom lab</figcaption></figure>Kikawa and her colleagues dove deeper into understanding the rapid evolution of human influenza virus. The team aimed to determine how influenza virus evolves in response to pressure from neutralizing antibodies using high-throughput neutralization measurements of human sera against many different viral strains. Mutations in influenza virus surface protein hemagglutinin rapidly arise and erode neutralization by antibodies from prior exposures. However, humans have diverse exposure histories and therefore diverse antibody repertoires, so a key remaining question is how population heterogeneity impacts influenza viral evolution. Their results suggest that high-throughput neutralization measurements of human sera against viral strains help explain the evolution of human influenza, where the strains with the greatest evolutionary success tend to be poorly neutralized by the largest fractions of the population. They also show that accurately characterizing population heterogeneity is vital for understanding human viral evolution.&nbsp;Kikawa told the iDPCC that her motivation as a researcher comes from wanting to “[improve] our ability to accurately select vaccine strains that represent circulating flu strains” because it has the “potential to keep a lot of people healthier.” Additionally, she credited the CEIRR Program for fostering multidisciplinary collaborations, allowing her to “connect with scientists across disciplines at other institutions” helping her “[form] new collaborations [and] contribute to existing collaborations.”&nbsp;To learn more about who Kikawa is, the iDPCC asked several questions to get to know her better:&nbsp;1. Who/what inspired you to go into science in general?A. My mentors! While an undergrad, as a post-grad research technician, and today as a graduate student.2. What is one thing on your bucket list?&nbsp;A. Become decent at go.3. Do you have advice for other trainees or students wanting to get started in research?&nbsp;A. Choose a department, program and lab that encourages (and fosters!) collaboration

Kikawa describes her award-winning work on understanding human influenza viral evolution and shares her interests in improving vaccine strain selection.

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