Mia J Smith, dvm, phd
Principal investigator
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Immunology and Microbiology
Mia Smith graduated from the DVM/PhD combined program at Colorado State University. For her PhD she studied how anergic autoreactive B cells are silenced in healthy individuals but contribute to disease during development of T1D. She is excited to continue her research from her graduate studies as a junior faculty member at the Barbara Davis Center. Outside the lab she enjoys gardening, hiking, cooking, and spending time with her family.
Zachary Stensland, BA
Professional Research Assistant
Zachary Stensland graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a bachelors degree in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology and has been a member of the Smith Lab since August 2019. Zach hopes to one day obtain a PhD in Immunology or Cellular Biology. Outside of the lab Zach enjoys cooking, hiking, and going to concerts around Denver.
Shelby Kardel, BA
Student Research Assistant
Shelby Kardel graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a bachelor's degree in Integrated Physiology and has been a member of the Smith Lab since August 2021. Shelby is currently pursuing a Master's in Public Health at the Colorado School of Public Health, Anschutz. Outside of the lab Shelby enjoys mountain biking, rock climbing, and snowboarding.
Catherine Nicholas, BA
graduate student, molecular biology
Catherine Nicholas graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. She is currently a graduate student in the Molecular Biology program and is co-mentored by Jay Hesselberth, PhD and Mia Smith. Her work focuses on studying the role and phenotype of antigen-specific B cells during development of autoimmunity using scRNA-seq. Outside the lab she enjoys spending time outdoors.
Bridget Alexander, BA Graduate Student, Immunology
Bridget Alexander graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She is currently a graduate student in the Immunology program. Her work focuses on the T1D risk allele PTPN2 and its effect on B cell maintenance and autoimmune disease onset. Outside the lab she enjoys baking, reading, and kickboxing.
Maya HunteR
Student research assistant
Maya Hunter is currently an undergraduate student in the combined BA/BS-MD program at the University of Colorado Denver studying Biology. She has been a part of the Smith Lab since February 2022. When she is not in the lab, Maya enjoys swimming, painting, baking, and walking her dog.
We are actively seeking motivated individuals to join our team! Please feel free to contact us for more information (mia.smith@cuanschutz.edu)