Principal Investigator
Eric Ubil, PhD, MBA
Assistant Professor
Department of Microbiology
O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center
Trainees
Nestor Prieto-Dominguez, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Prieto-Dominguez studies the suppressive role of tumor secretions on innate immune cells (macrophages). After determining that tumor cells inhibit a broadly utilized, key, signaling pathway, he is using this new understanding to improve the anti-tumor immune response during chemotherapy. Originally from Spain, Nestor received his PhD in Biomedicine and Health Sciences from Universidad de Leon.
Kashif Rafiq Zahid
Postdoctoral Fellow
Angel Humphryes
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Angel is a third year undergraduate student majoring in Biomedical Sciences with plans to attend UAB Heersink School of Medicine. She assists the Principal Investigator and the postdoctoral fellows in their research conducted in the lab.
Katarina Hays Moretto
Undergraduate Immunology Student
Katarina is a fourth year undergraduate student majoring in immunology.
Past Members
Tiff Ricketts
Graduate Student
As a third year graduate student, Ms. Ricketts is interrogating the role of tumors in altering antigen presentation by macrophages. Prior to joining UAB, she earned her undergraduate degree from Duquesne University.
Miriam Marlene Medina Enriquez, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Enriquez studies the temporal regulation of tumor secreted immune suppressive proteins.
Tanusree Saha, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Saha studies the mechanisms by which Mer receptor tyrosine kinase suppresses downstream proinflammatory signaling in macrophages.
Pramod Gowda, PhD
Research Assistant V
Dr. Gowda joined the laboratory in 2019 and moved on to Vanderbilt University in 2021. While in the Ubil laboratory, Dr. Gowda studied a variety of phenomenon including regulation of Protein S expression by micro-RNAs, tumor-mediated induction of a pro-wound healing phenotype in macrophages and large-scale genetic alterations by tumor cells on the immune response. Prior to joining the laboratory Pramod had more than 10 years of molecular biology and biochemistry experience, in addition to having earned a PhD from the University of Texas Health Science Center.
Christina Adams
UAB Prep Scholar
Having completed her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of South Carolina, Ms. Adams joined the UAB Prep Scholar program to assist in her transition to a successful graduate career. She has since joined the Graduate Program at the University of Florida.
