Celestine Wanjalla, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of Infectious Diseases
Dr. Wanjalla's past research projects have included dendritic cell-based HIV vaccine using Rabies virus as a vector and adipose tissue T cells in patients with HIV and diabetes.
She provides clinical care at the Comprehensive Care Clinic and the Infectious Disease consult service at the Nashville VA.
Xiuqi Zhang
Lab Manager
Division of Infectious Diseases, Wanjalla Lab
Xiuiqi Zhang’s responsibilities include maintaining laboratory order, assisting students, keeping equipment in good working condition, and ensuring the smooth progress of experiments. Having worked at VUMC for over 20 years, she is passionate about learning new things and enjoys working with colleagues to help them achieve their scientific goals.
Ronald McMillan, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Division of Infectious Diseases
Dr. McMillan earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from North Carolina Central University, where he conducted early research on Neisseria gonorrhoeae. He has also contributed to microbiome research and bacterial genome editing.
He completed his PhD in Molecular Biology and Genetics at the University of Delaware, investigating the effects of dietary salt and fructose on blood pressure and inflammation in healthy adults.
Laventa Obare, MBChB
Research Fellow
Division of Infectious Diseases
Dr. Obare holds a Bachelor of Science in Medicine and Surgery from Moi University College of Health Sciences in Kenya, as well as certificates in Implementation Science from the University of Washington and Foundations of Clinical Research from Harvard Medical University.
Victoria Stephens, PhD
Research Fellow
Division of Infectious Diseases
Dr. Stephens holds a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science with a minor in Chemistry from Albany State University and a PhD in Molecular Pathology and Immunology from Vanderbilt University.
Currently, her research explores the immune mechanisms underlying the adverse health outcomes seen in individuals living with cardiovascular disease and HIV.
Cassia Labeb, BSc
Research Assistant I
Division of Infectious Diseases
Cassia Labeb recently completed her undergraduate degree at Trevecca Nazarene University, where she majored in biology and minored in chemistry. She is currently working as a research assistant in Dr. Wanjalla's lab, gaining valuable hands-on experience in scientific research with a focus on infectious diseases.
Kisyua Nthenge, BSc
Research Assistant I
Division of Infectious Diseases
KK Nthenge has been a member of Dr. Wanjalla's lab since 2023. He received his bachelor's degree in biology from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama. During the summers of undergraduate training, he had the opportunity to participate in medical research. Following an internship at VUMC and research projects at Oakwood, he developed a greater interest in medical research and plans to apply to medical school.
Solomon Debrezion
Summer Intern
Division of Infectious Diseases
Solomon Debrezion is an undergraduate student and Danforth Scholar at Washington University in St. Louis, studying Molecular Biology and Biochemistry on the pre-med track.
Debrezion graduated as salutatorian from Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet High School in Nashville and was also a graduate of the School for Science and Math at Vanderbilt (SSMV), a selective research-focused program for high school students.
Risabh Kumar
Summer Intern
Division of Infectious Diseases
Risabh Kumar is a senior at Ravenwood High School in Williamson County, Tennessee and previously attended school in in Delhi, India.
Kumar was recently selected for a prestigious online course in Microscopy offered by Vanderbilt University's Programs for Talented Youth (PTY), focused on biomedical sciences. Kumar aspires to pursue a career in medicine, with a strong focus on integrating technology and innovation into the healthcare field.
Collaborators
HIV and Diabetes
- Samuel Bailin, MD, MSCI (VUMC)
- Curtis Gabriel, MD, PhD (VUMC)
- John Koethe, MD, MSCI (VUMC)
- Mona Mashayekhi, MD, PhD (VUMC)
CMV and Cardiovascular Disease
- Michael Freeman (Case Western)
- Rama Gangula (VUMC)
- Sara Gianella, MD (UCSD)
- Peter Hunt (UCSF)
- Simon Mallal, MBBS (VUMC)
- Davey Smith, MD (UCSD)
- Richard Stanton (Cardiff)
HIV and Cardiovascular Disease
- Shashwatee Bagchi (Wash U)
- Antoine Chaillon, MD PhD (UCSD)
- Amanda Doran, MD, PhD (VUMC)
- Aloke Finn, MD (CVPath Institute)
- Matthew Freiberg, MD (VUMC)
- Pandu Gangula, PhD (Meharry Medical College)
- Liang Guo (AstraZeneca)
- Moises Huaman, MD, Msc (University of Cincinatti)
- Qi Liu, PhD
- Christopher Longenecker, MD (UWash)
- Amy Major, PhD (VUMC)
- Jeffrey Martin, MD MPH (UCSF)
- April Pettite, MD (VUMC)
- Joshua Simmons (VUMC)
- Timoth Sterling, MD (VUMC)
- Tecla Temu, MD, PhD (Mass General Brigham, Harvard)
- Kasey Vickers, PhD (VUMC)
- Renu Virmani, MD (CVPath)
HIV, Hypertension and Mitochondrial Dysfunction
- Chandravanu Dash, PhD (CV Dash, Meharry Medical College)
- David Harrison, MD (VUMC)
- Antentor Hinton, PhD (VU)
- Annet Kirabo, PhD (VUMC)
- Andrea Marshall (VU)
- Prem Prakash, PhD (Meharry Medical College)
HIV Immunology
- Spyros Kalams, MD (VUMC)
- Simon Mallal, MBBS (VUMC)
- Elizabeth Phillips, MD (VUMC)
- Joshua Simmons (VUMC)
B cells in HIV
- Rachel Bonami, PhD (VUMC)
- David R Glass (Stanford)
- Ivelin Giorgiev, PhD (VUMC)
- Gwen R. Jordaan (VUMC)
- Wyatt McDonnell, PhD (Infinimmune)
- Scott Smith, MD, PhD (UVA)
Lab Alumni
| Name | Current Role | Institution |
|---|---|---|
Jordan Malone | MPH | Vanderbilt University |
Stephen Priest | Nursing Student | DePaul University |
Dr. Ayoda Werede | Internist | Johns Hopkins Hospital |
Solomon Debrezion | Undergraduate | Washington University |
Ese Ogaga | Undergraduate | Tennessee State University |
Sharada Ghantasala | Sophomore | Georgia Institute of Technology |