Greg Pearson, M.S.
In the midst of graduating from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, I decided to pursue medical school. Lacking a complete foundation in Biology, I chose to remain at my undergraduate institution and enroll as graduate student in their Biology program. My life’s trajectory quickly changed during my first semester when I met my Immunology professor and later, my primary thesis advisor and friend, Dr. Alison Fedrow. Dr. Fedrow introduced me to the world of research, particularly with respect to vectorborne pathogens and diseases. While taking courses and completing my thesis, I worked at the Naval Medical Research Center in Silver Spring, Maryland as an intern with the American Society for Engineering Education and an employee with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine. These experiences instilled in me the confidence to apply to the Immunology & Infectious Diseases doctorate program at Washington State University (WSU). As a rotating student at WSU, I decided to explore a new area of research with Dr. Ilia Karatsoreos in the Integrative Physiology & Neuroscience program. I found myself becoming increasingly passionate about how desynchronizing the circadian clock could alter an organism’s immune response to an immunogenic challenge and how time-of-day of an infection could be the difference between the mortality and survival of an organism. I eventually joined Ilia's lab and became a graduate student within the Integrative Physiology & Neuroscience program. Shortly thereafter we made the big move to UMass Amherst, where I'm now a Ph.D. student in the Neuroscience and Behavior program. Outside of the lab, I enjoy backpacking, mountaineering, and competing in various sports.
Notable Achievements:
ARCS Fellow (Seattle Chapter)
