Melody Nguyen

Program: Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Current advisor: Jonathan R. Brestoff, MD, PhD, MPH

Undergraduate university: Johns Hopkins University, 2020

Enrollment year: 2023

Research summary
I study how obesity disrupts protective marginal zone B cell function and whether mitochondrial uptake restores their activation and survival.

Obesity promotes chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction that contribute to cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Marginal zone B (MZB) cells are a specialized population of splenic B cells that rapidly respond to blood-borne pathogens. MZBs also help protect against atherosclerosis by supporting the production of natural IgM antibodies against oxidation-specific epitopes. These antibodies recognize oxidized lipids, promoting their clearance and limiting inflammatory signaling. My research investigates how obesity alters MZB-cell abundance and function, with a particular focus on how mitochondrial uptake regulates MZB-cell activation. This work may uncover new mechanisms linking immune-cell metabolism to cardiovascular disease and identify strategies for preserving protective B-cell responses during obesity.

Graduate publications