News Release

Immunity studies cross scientific and continental borders (video)

Duke University postdoctoral fellow named Pew biomedical researcher of the month

Grant and Award Announcement

Pew Charitable Trusts

An Innate Attraction to Immunity Research

video: 2012 Pew Latin American Fellow Natalia Martin studies the molecular mechanisms underlying innate immunity -- the body's first, non-specific line of defense against invading pathogens. As a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Alejandro Aballay at Duke University, the native Argentinian aims to understand how the innate immune response is fine-tuned, with the long-term goal of developing new therapeutic targets for immune diseases. http://www.pewlatinfellows.org view more 

Credit: The Pew Charitable Trusts

WHAT: Postdoctoral researcher Natalia Martin, Ph.D., is The Pew Charitable Trusts' biomedical researcher of the month for her creative work on neuroimmunology. Martin studies the role of the nervous and immune systems in the process of innate immunity—the body's first line of defense against invading pathogens.

Working in the laboratory of associate professor Alejandro Aballay, Ph.D., at Duke University, Martin uses techniques from neurology and immunology to investigate the role of nerve cells in the innate immune responses of the worm Caenorhabditis elegans. Her long-term goal is to apply her findings to the more complicated immune systems of humans and identify a mechanism that could be used for the therapeutic targeting of infectious diseases.

Martin's story is the latest in Pew's biomedical researcher of the month series. Pew's Latin American fellows program gives individuals such as Martin, an Argentinian, an opportunity to further their scientific knowledge through exchange and collaboration with investigators in the United States.

Since 1991, Pew's biomedical programs have provided funding to more than 200 young scientists from Latin America to receive postdoctoral training in the United States, resulting in advances in biomedical research, knowledge, and applications that span continents.

WHO: Experts are available for interviews regarding Martin's research and the program:

  • Natalia Martin, Ph.D., 2012 Pew Latin American fellow and postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Duke University.
  • Anita Pepper, Ph.D., director of the Pew programs in the biomedical sciences. Pew's biomedical programs include the Pew Latin American fellows and the Pew scholars program.

WHERE: Visit http://www.pewhealth.org/other-resource/Immunity-Studies-Cross-Scientific-and-Continental-Borders-85899519879 to view the video profile of Martin.

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CONTACT: Chelsea Toledo at 202-540-6846, ctoledo@pewtrusts.org

For information regarding Pew's Latin American fellows program, please visit http://www.pewlatinfellows.org.

The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public, and stimulate civic life. http://www.pewtrusts.org


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