UVA Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program

Alexander Eichert was awarded the NIH F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the NHLBI which began on June 1, 2026

Alexander received his Bachelor of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering from Stony Brook University

Alexander is a doctoral candidate in Physiology in the Matthew Wolf Lab in the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center

We asked Alexander to tell us about his research and goals

Tell us about your research: Our lab is interested in how cardiomyocytes, which are classically considered to be minimally proliferative, can be encouraged to re-enter the cell cycle. This is especially pertinent after cardiac injuries like a heart attack, where a large portion of myocytes die and are replaced by a stiff fibrotic scar that impedes contraction. While current literature heavily focuses on how we can make myocytes re-enter the cell cycle (including our lab), I am particularly interested in what makes these cycling cardiomyocytes unique. We’ve found that these cycling myocytes secrete additional/unique factors that seem to influence the myocardium’s response to various pathologies. Our recent interest and the subject of my fellowship is on growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11). I’ve found that the loss of GDF11 from cycling myocytes is detrimental to the heart’s response after ischemic injury, causing significantly worsened cardiac function and increases in fibrosis. The goal of my project is to understand how GDF11 is mediated these effects through a cycling cardiomyocyte point-of-view.

What drives or motivates your scientific pursuits? I think I have always just been a really curious person, so not only being able to learn something new every day but potentially discover something new is pretty cool. Every day is kind of a new day (good or bad) and it keeps you on your toes for sure!

What are your future goals? I’m thinking I’ll try to stay in academia and maintain my focus in cardiovascular disease. My current thought is I might try to focus more on the cellular function of cardiomyocytes, since there’s still a lot to understand about how they function so differently from other cell types.

Congratulations Alexander!

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

On Sunday, May 17, the University of Virginia School of Medicine proudly celebrated the Class of 2026 during the University’s 197th Final Exercises, marking a major milestone for graduates and their families.

After celebratory photos on the steps of the historic Old Medical School, graduates took part in one of UVA’s most cherished traditions—the iconic walk from the Rotunda to Old Cabell Hall for the conferral of the degrees. The Lawn was filled with joy, pride, and anticipation as students, faculty, and friends gathered to honor years of dedication and achievement.

Across the 2025–26 academic year, the School of Medicine conferred degrees to 151 Doctor of Medicine, 41 Doctor of Philosophy, and 100 Master’s students, reflecting the breadth of education, research, and service that define the institution.

Doctoral candidates in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program were honored during the PhD Hooding Ceremony at McLeod Hall in the morning. PhD students were recognized for their scholarly achievements and contributions to scientific discovery.

“Earning a PhD has required extraordinary hard work, focus, and resilience,” said School of Medicine Dean Colin Derdeyn, MD, in his remarks to the graduates. “We, the faculty, are proud of each of you and we are genuinely excited about what lies ahead for you.”

“We are extraordinarily proud—not only of what you have achieved, but of the integrity, compassion, and commitment you have shown along the way,” said Dr. Derdeyn.

The transition from medical students to physicians who will serve communities in Virginia and beyond is a tremendous accomplishment that was celebrated by all.

Graduation day was one of pride, reflection, and optimism. The School of Medicine Class of 2026 has much to look forward to as physicians, scientists, and public health leaders who will make a lasting impact on patients’ lives.

Visit the UVA Medical Alumni Association website to view recordings of some events and more photos:

https://www.uvamedalum.org/congratulations-class-of-2026/

Claire Conarroe was awarded an NIH F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Cancer Institute that began May 13, 2026.

Claire is a doctoral candidate in Experimental Pathology in the lab of Timothy Bullock.

Tell us about your research:

I study the immune response to a primary brain tumor in order to identify promising strategies to leverage immunotherapies. T cells, which are immune cells that can directly kill tumor cells, are dysfunctional and fail to recognize brain tumor cells as a target. To improve anti-tumor T cell responses, I am testing the efficacy of immunotherapies that activate dendritic cells, the type of immune cell that educates and activates T cells. I have shown that a combination of CD40 and Toll-like receptor agonists leads to a durable survival benefit and even a complete response in some mice. This is highly relevant to clinical applications, as most patients succumb to recurrent brain tumors and would benefit from the induction of immune memory. My project is now focused on identifying the mechanisms that drive this survival benefit, particularly regarding the effects of these agonists on dendritic cell activity both intracranially and systemically.

What drives or motivates your scientific pursuits?

Learning about the intricacies of immunology opened my eyes to the opportunities and challenges of treating diseases by modulating immune responses. While the brain was once thought to be separate from the immune system, we now know that there are integral neuro-immune interactions that support regular function and can become involved with the progression of disease. The ability to address these clinically unmet needs provides significant motivation to continue this line of research.

What are your future goals? My future goal is to lead a research lab exploring opportunities to modulate the immune system in the CNS setting. I enjoy thinking about the similarities and differences between immune responses involved in neurodegenerative diseases and CNS malignancies, and I’m excited to help bridge a gap between basic science and patient care.

Congratulations Claire!

Congratulations to our GBS Student Leadership, Michael J. Peach, Jill E. Hungerford and Outstanding Graduate Student Awardees for 2026!

GBS Student Leadership Awardee: Ariana Sabzevari

Michael J. Peach Outstanding Student Awardee: Emir Maldosevic

Jill E. Hungerford Prize in Biomedical Science: Josh Samuels

Outstanding Graduate Student Awardees: Anna Bartosik, Matthew Hoch, Emir Maldosevic, Shelby Cain, Luke Vass, Ian Liyayi, Josh Samuels, Bena Chan, Rachel DeLancey

You can read more about these student awards and our students' research here:

https://med.virginia.edu/bims/whats-new-in-bims/student-awards/

Madison Turner was awarded the NIH F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Cancer Institute which began on May 1, 2026.

Madison is a doctoral candidate in Microbiology in the lab of Thomas P. Loughran Jr.

Can you tell us about your research?

The Loughran lab studies large granular lymphocyte leukemia (LGLL), a rare lymphoproliferative disorder affecting approximately 1,000 people in the U.S. annually.

My work focuses on how LGLL cells interact with and are shaped by the tissue microenvironment. I am using spatial transcriptomics to define the cellular organization and transcriptional programs within LGLL-infiltrated tissues. I am currently identifying cell populations interacting with LGLL cells in T- and NK-LGLL patient tissues. In parallel, I am comparing gene expression between LGLL and non-leukemic CD8+ T- or NK-cells, focusing on adhesion-related genes such as VCAM1 and ICAM1. Ultimately, this work aims to define how LGLL cells engage the tissue microenvironment to sustain survival and chronic activation, with the goal of identifying new biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

What drives or motivates your scientific pursuits?

My motivation for research stems from my early experience supporting my younger brother through his leukemia diagnosis and treatment, which showed me the emotional and clinical realities of cancer care. That experience, combined with later work in clinical and translational research environments like the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, solidified my commitment to improving outcomes for patients and their families. Today, I am driven by the goal of advancing cancer research that bridges fundamental discovery with therapies that can meaningfully reduce the burden of disease for future patients.

What are your future goals?

I plan to continue my career in cancer immunology after graduation, with a focus on developing novel cancer therapeutics that translate basic discoveries into clinical impact. I hope to work as part of an interdisciplinary research team focused on targeted therapies to contribute to scientific strategy, mentor future researchers, and help shape future cancer treatment development.

New AI Technology to Speed Drug Development

University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have developed a bold new approach to drug development and discovery that could dramatically accelerate the creation of new medicines.

UVA’s Nikolay V. Dokholyan, PhD, and colleagues have developed a suite of artificial intelligence-powered tools, called YuelDesign, YuelPocket and YuelBond, that work together to transform how new drugs are created. The centerpiece, YuelDesign, uses a cutting-edge form of AI called diffusion models to design new drug molecules tailored to fit their protein targets exactly, even accounting for the way proteins flex and shift shape during binding.

A companion tool, YuelPocket, identifies exactly where on a protein a drug can attach, while YuelBond ensures the chemical bonds in designed molecules are accurate. Together, the approach is poised to improve both how new drugs are designed and how quickly and efficiently existing drugs can be evaluated for new purposes.

“Think of it this way: Other methods try to design a key for a lock that’s sitting perfectly still, but in your body, that lock is constantly jiggling and changing shape. Our AI designs the key while the lock is moving, so the fit is much more realistic,” said Dokholyan, of UVA’s Department of Neurology. “This could make a real difference for patients with cancer, neurological disorders and many other conditions where we desperately need better drugs targeting these wiggly proteins but keep hitting dead ends.”

Originally posted in Medicine in Motion News April 1, 2026 by [email protected]

Read more on this story here: https://news.med.virginia.edu/research/new-ai-approach-to-speed-drug-development/?j=4605880&sfmc_sub=191645089&l=35_HTML&u=70662225&mid=100026982&jb=1006

Isabelle Derré, PhD, Awarded $3.6 Million NIH Grant to Research Chlamydia

Isabelle Derré, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, was awarded a new five-year $3.6 million grant from the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for a project titled, “Host lipid acquisition and maintenance of the Chlamydia replicative niche.”

Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted infections. No vaccine is currently available. Infections are often asymptomatic, allowing the bacterium to replicate undetected, while damaging reproductive organs. These complications can pose serious risks to women’s reproductive health, including pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility.

In this new project, Dr. Derré and her team will study the role of a Chlamydia protein that maintains the stability of the Chlamydia-containing vacuole by facilitating the acquisition of host lipids, creating a membrane barrier that allows the bacterium to persist and evade detection.

Using a multidisciplinary approach, results from these studies will help to further define the fundamental biological mechanisms by which Chlamydia survives and causes disease, while highlighting pathogen-specific targets for potential therapeutics or vaccines.

Originally posted in Medicine in Motions News March 9, 2026 by [email protected]

Read more here: https://news.med.virginia.edu/research/isabelle-derre-phd-awarded-3-6-million-nih-grant-to-research-how-chlamydia-survives-and-causes-disease/?j=4560590&sfmc_sub=191645089&l=35_HTML&u=69824974&mid=100026982&jb=1007