Summary
- Major: Microbiology and Immunology
- Faculty Mentor: Dr. David AuCoin
- Research Topic: Isolating New Monoclonal Antibodies Against Nipah Virus
- New Scholar: 2025 Cohort
- Graduating with a Baccalaureate Degree: Spring 2027
Abstract
Nipah virus (NiV), a deadly virus transmitted from animals to humans, has caused outbreaks in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Bangladesh, and India (CDC). Currently no vaccine against NiV exists, emphasizing the need for a rapid diagnostic test. A lateral flow immunoassay (LFI) is a rapid, low- cost diagnostic test that uses antibody-antigen binding to detect target analytes in a sample without requiring specialized equipment. To start developing these assays, we will isolate splenocytes (the area where antibodies are synthesized), previously harvested by our lab, into monoclonal antibodies and characterize them for the LFI detection against NiV.