Robbi Ross

Biography

I am an IBMS PhD student in Felipe Santiago-Tirado's lab studying the interactions between the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans and human host cells. I study the relationship between C. neoformans and microglia, the tissue-resident immune cells of the brain. I also work for the Office of Grants and Fellowships as a Fellowship Consultant, helping graduate students find and apply for funding. I am also the President for the Association for Women in Science at Notre Dame. I am interested in immunology, infectious disease, cell biology, and science communication, and my aspiration is to mentor the next generation of young scientists to continue advancing the fields of immunology and infectious disease.

I study the relationship between the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans and microglia, the tissue-resident immune cells of the brain. I aim to understand how C. neoformans evades engulfment and subsequent killing by these immune cells. When not in lab, you can find me reading, crocheting, eating ice cream, and playing with my dog, Wrigley!