Lab Members

Dr. Deborah Lenschow received her undergraduate degree in Biology from Wittenberg University. She then earned her M.D., Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, where she studied the role of CD28/CTLA4/B7 co-stimulation pathways in T cell activation and autoimmunity. After completing her M.D./Ph.D., Dr. Lenschow did her residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Rheumatology at Washington University School of Medicine. She performed her postdoctoral fellowship in the lab of Dr. Skip Virgin where she described ISG15 as an important type I interferon induced, antiviral molecule. In 2006, she joined the faculty in the Department of Medicine and the Division of Rheumatology where she continues to run her research group, sees patients on the Rheumatology clinical service, and also serves as the co-director of the Physician Scientist Training Program for Internal Medicine and Immunology Program.

Kristen received her degree in Biology from Concordia University Wisconsin in 2000. She began conducting research at Washington University School of Medicine in 2001. Kristen is currently working as the Research Laboratory Manager and studying influenza and ISG15.

Lindsey received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas in Austin in Microbiology and recently earned a Ph.D. in Immunology from Washington University in St. Louis. As a postdoctoral research scholar in the Lenschow lab, Lindsey continues exploring her longstanding interest in host-virus interactions by studying type I interferon responses. In particular, she is delineating the distinct functions of individual IFN subtypes during acute chikungunya virus infection.

Sachendra received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biotechnology from Jiwaji and Dr. H.S. Gour University, India, respectively. He earned his Ph.D. from the lab of Dr. Soumen Basak at the National Institute of Immunology in New Delhi, India. In Dr. Basak’s lab, he studied the role of canonical NF-kB signaling in host cell responses to RNA viruses. In a broad sense, he was investigating the crosstalk between NF-kB, type I interferon, and cell death pathways during RNA virus infections. As a postdoctoral research associate in the Lenschow lab, he is pursuing his goals in virus research utilizing SARS-CoV-2 pathology in mouse models. More specifically, he is investigating the roles of ISG15 in regulating cell death processes during SARS-CoV-2 infection. He loves to spend his free time with his better half Poonam and lovely daughter Anaya.

Bria received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. After graduating and moving to Missouri, she worked as a technician in the labs of Drs. Skip Virgin and Megan Baldridge studying host-virus interactions. As a graduate student in the Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis program and a member of the Lenschow lab, Bria is studying chronic chikungunya virus disease, specifically, how cell types harboring viral RNA contribute to chronic arthritis.

Jessica received her B.A. and M.S. degrees in Biophysical Chemistry from Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. She worked in the lab of Dr. Ekaterina Pletneva studying the structures and redox properties of cytochrome c metalloproteins. She then joined the Medical Scientist Training Program at WashU and is now a member of the Immunology program. As a graduate student in the Lenschow lab, Jessica is studying regulation of the host response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Outside of the lab, Jessica enjoys volunteering at SLCH, trying out new recipes, and spending time in Forest Park.

Gabriela received her bachelor’s degree in Biology and M.S. from the Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. She is currently a PhD student at the State University of Campinas and is spending a year out to develop part of her research as a visiting researcher at Washington University in St. Louis.  She works trying to understand the role of hypoxia inducible factor 1a (HIF1a) during acute and chronic CHIKV infection.