Sana is a Nashville native and undergraduate student at Vanderbilt University double majoring in Medicine, Health and Society and Molecular and Cellular Biology. As an intern, her research projects have spanned from studying Staphylococcus aureus infection in bone marrow macrophages and osteoclasts to optimizing cell line and 3D organoid models of Salmonella infection in the small intestine. In her free time, she likes to find new hiking spots and cook traditional Kurdish foods with her family.

Andrew hails from Monument, CO and earned B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Michigan. As an undergraduate, he studied the role of secondary metabolites during C. difficile infection. He then spent two years at The Rockefeller University studying the impacts of Huntington’s Disease during neurogenesis. In 2024, Andrew joined the Cassat Lab where he is studying mechanisms of antibiotic tolerance and investigating phage contributions to Staphylococcus aureus pathogenesis and persistence. Outside of the lab, Andrew is an avid Colorado sports fan and spends his free time cycling, hiking, and making his own cocktails.

Jia is from Memphis, TN and earned a B.A. in Molecular Biology from Colorado College. After graduation, she pursued a year of postbac research at the University of Rochester studying antimicrobial resistance in ESKAPE pathogens. Jia joined IGP the fall of 2022. In the Cassat Lab, she studies the the genetic and host factors that contribute to antibiotic tolerance of S. aureus. In her free time, she likes to do art and watch TV.

Logan is originally from Hudsonville, MI and earned a B.S. in Biology and Philosophy from Wheaton College (IL). After a short time in industry microbiology, Logan worked as technician for four years in the lab of Dr. Virginia Miller at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill where he studied the pathogenesis of Klebsiella pneumoniae. In the Cassat Lab, Logan is investigating how nutrients and analytes shape the host-microbe interface in the context of Staphylococcus aureus bone infection. In his free time, Logan enjoys spending time with his wife, running with his dog, and rock climbing.

Juan was born in Mexico City and earned his B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin. He started his graduate work in Austin with Marvin Whiteley and moved with his lab to Georgia Tech, where he obtained his PhD. His work focused on the development of tools for characterizing the spatial structure of microbial communities within the context of infectious diseases. In 2022, Juan started his postdoctoral work in a joint venture with the Cassat and Skaar lab at the Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation. His project incorporates quantitative imaging, clinical samples and single cells assays to answer basic questions about host-pathogen interactions in the gut. He is an avid cyclist, live music enthusiast and is working towards developing a world-class taco experience from his kitchen.

Clara was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and attended NYU for her undergraduate studies, where she double majored in Biochemistry and Classics. She began her research journey at The Rockefeller University working under Dr. Charles Rice, before moving to NYU Langone as a founding member of the Dittmann Laboratory. She joined the Vanderbilt MSTP in 2019. In the Cassat Lab, her research focuses on the role of RANKL signaling in regulating the antibacterial response in monocytes. In her free time, Clara loves working out, cooking for a crowd, and playing with her cat, Fig Blossom.

Caroline graduated from Harding University in her home state of Arkansas with a B.S. in Biology. Following her undergraduate studies, she attended Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and received a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Global Health and Infectious Disease. Caroline now works full-time as a research assistant in the Cassat lab. In her free time, she likes to go running, embroider, and attend (socially-distanced) concerts.

Brittney attended the University of South Florida where she earned a B.S. in Microbiology and then a Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology. Her Ph.D work was done in the laboratory of Dr. Les Shaw where she studied the transcriptional regulation of Staphylococcus aureus secreted proteases, as well as how these secreted proteases regulate disease progression via their modulation of virulence factor stability. In Spring 2020, Brittney joined the Cassat lab as a postdoctoral research fellow where she is working to understand the mechanisms S. aureus uses to withstand antibiotic treatment in an osteomyelitis infection. Outside of the lab, Brittney enjoys hiking and biking.