Matthew Taves, PhD

Assistant Professor, Animal Sciences

I am interested in how steroids simultaneously act as whole-body signals that coordinate major life transitions and as cell-targeted signals that drive specific decisions. Both control immune development and responses, and I’m especially interested in interactions with T cells of the adaptive immune system and their ability to clear tumors and pathogens.

I began research as an undergraduate investigating behavior-steroid interactions fish, for my PhD studied immune steroid production in birds and mice, and then worked in laboratories studying steroid control of T cell development, antiviral immunity, and anti-tumor immunity, and studying how steroid signaling controls intra-sexual diversity.

I teach ANSC 251: EPIDEMICS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES and ANSC 450: COMPARATIVE IMMUNOBIOLOGY

Apoorva Ganesh, MSc

Laboratory Technician, Animal Sciences

I am intrigued by how heightened immune responses to stress result in neurodegenerative disorders. I am eager to embark on a career where I can apply my academic knowledge to real-world challenges. Whether it’s exploring the intercellular underpinnings of stress responses or exploring innovative strategies to mitigate its effects, I am committed to contributing to the advancement of our understanding of health. With a keen interest in meditation, singing, and classical dance, I believe in the holistic approach to wellness and the importance of integrating mindfulness into everyday life.

I graduated with an MSc. in Biological Sciences from Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, India. Here, I explored research in mouse models of neurodegenerative conditions – Austism Spectrum Disorder and Schizophrenia. For my Master’s thesis, I delved into molecular foundations of intercellular signaling, and worked on the neurophysiology of pheromone signaling in Plethodon shermani at the Ohio State University under Dr. Damien Wilburn.

Yuanyuan (Krystal) Cheng

Undergraduate Research Assistant, Molecular & Cellular Biology

I am a junior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). My academic interests lie in infectious diseases and the immune system, as well as neuroscience. I’m fascinated by how the immune system interacts with pathogens and how neural networks function in both health and disease.

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