Chris Thomas is a Research Assistant I in the Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine within the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Chris received his BS in Biomedical Engineering (BME) from Mississippi State University (MSU). Interested in medicine, problem-solving, and innovation, Chris moved to Mississippi to pursue a career as a biomedical engineer. During his undergraduate years as a biomedical engineering student, Chris developed a passion for research. In the Summer of 2019, he was selected for a research internship in the Department of Chemistry at the United States Air Force Academy, investigating the synthesis of soluble fluorescent ligands that could improve the detection of malignancies.
Chris also worked as a student researcher at the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, investigating the efficiency of oximes to reverse organophosphate-induced acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Additionally, he was awarded his degree in BME after completing a senior design project focused on improving treatment outcomes for MRSA-induced Osteomyelitis using a chitosan hydrogel that delivers antibiotics to the infected cortical bone. Wanting to expand his service to others by advancing his research knowledge and technical skills, Chris joined Peebles' Lab in the Fall of 2021. Currently, Chris works closely with Dr. Dan Cook, MD, PhD - a pulmonary and critical care fellow in Peebles' lab, investigating the interplay between cystic fibrosis (CF) and allergic airway inflammation."