Lab Members

Brady received her PhD at the University of Alabama at Birmingham working on pneumococcal capsular diversity and its effects on pneumococcal evasion of innate and vaccine-induced immunity. She performed her post-doctoral training at the University of Colorado-Anschutz studying group B streptococcal factors that facilitate colonization of pregnant people, transmission to the neonate, and penetration of the blood-brain barrier during neonatal meningitis. Brady joins UVA in Fall 2024 where she will conduct a research program centered on the molecular mechanisms underlying the type VII secretion system in GBS and the impact of secreted bacterial effectors on host barriers, the microbiota and mucosal immune responses during GBS colonization and systemic infection.

Caitlin grew up in Accra, Ghana, and earned her PhD in Microbiology from the University of Maine, where she worked in the Neely lab studying the influence of prophages on Group B Streptococcus. She joined the Spencer lab in the fall of 2024 to explore type VII secretion systems and their role in interbacterial competition.

Abby graduated in 2024 from the University of Mary Washington with her BS and BA in Biomedical Sciences and Anthropology. During undergrad, she conducted an independent research project on Triple Negative Breast Cancer focusing on cell culture techniques where she determined methionine restriction sensitizes cells to Cisplatin chemotherapy and increases proliferation inhibition. She is excited to now work with the Spencer Lab as a Lab Specialist as she works on applications to grad school. Abby plans to pursue a doctorate in the biomedical field and looks forward to working with UVA and Dr Spencer in preparation.

Chloe is an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia studying Biology. She is a student on the pre-med track and is deeply interested in immunology. She is very excited to gain knowledge, experiences and skills under the Spencer Laboratory, and further apply them to her future studies.