Jacquelyn Spathies

Jacquelyn is a graduate student in the department of microbe-host interactions. She is originally from the west suburbs of Chicago and graduated from Eastern Illinois University with her BS in biology. Jacquelyn came to Vanderbilt through the 2022 IGP cohort and works in the laboratories of Jeffery Spraggins and Eric Skaar using MALDI-IMS to study molecular interactions within the mucus layer of the intestine. Specifically, Jacquelyn is working to develop novel MALDI platforms for the study of mucosal lipids. Mucus consists of water, glycoproteins, lipids, and electrolytes. Lipids are integral to the hydrophobicity, fluidity, and rigidity of this barrier, and unlike glycoproteins, lipids can be easily influenced based on diet or chemical exposures, increasing their diversity and influence on mucosal barrier function. The influence microbes have on human health can benefit from characterizing the chemical landscape of mucus under different conditions.

Mentor: Jeffery Spraggins and Eric Skaar