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Kaira | Immunology PhD Candidate👩🏾‍🔬

@kairaphds

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Experiments, science & the journey
✨ In my doctorate era ✨

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I realized I’ve shared a bit about grad school, research, conferences, and life in the lab, but I’ve never really explained what I actually study 😅

So here’s a quick overview!

My research focuses on tuberculosis (TB) and how immune cells called neutrophils respond during Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection—the bacteria that causes TB. More specifically, I’m interested in understanding how neutrophil responses are regulated during infection, particularly a process called NETosis.

I like to think of neutrophils as the Spider-Man of the immune system 🤭🕷️

This is a very simplified version, but hopefully it gives a little more insight into what I spend my days thinking about, troubleshooting, and researching 😌💅🏾
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#immunologist #phd #gradschool by @kairaphds

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3 months ago

a simple introduction.

I’ve been thinking about visibility, access, and what it means to take up space in environments where you don’t always see yourself reflected.

This space is my way of documenting a journey that didn’t always feel clearly mapped out at the start. A lot of what I know now came from stepping into opportunities I didn’t even realize were options at one point.

I’m sharing this as both a reflection and a record—of growth, of learning, and of everything that exists alongside being in a PhD program that often goes unseen.

If you’re here, I’m glad you are. Welcome :)
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#phdjourney #gradschool #science by @kairaphds

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6 months ago

This week I attended the Pathogenesis of Post-Tuberculosis Lung Disease (PTLD) Symposium at the Ragon Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts so I figured I’d share snippets of my experience. It was great putting faces to names within the TB field and learning more about ongoing work in PTLD.

Every time I go to Boston it’s always a vibe, I love the scenery 😌
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#gradschool #immunology #conference by @kairaphds

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8 days ago

PhD application season is here 👀

Choosing a graduate program is a big decision, and there’s a lot more to consider than just research interests and school rankings

Here are 6 things to keep in mind when deciding which programs are right for you 😌
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#phd #gradschool #immunology by @kairaphds

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23 days ago

& that’s on starting year 3 🥹 getting closer but still so far away 😂
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#phdcandidate #immunology #gradschool by @kairaphds

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a month ago

It’s giving main character on & off the bench 🥼💅🏾
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#immunology #gradschool #phd by @kairaphds

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2 months ago

My backup plan is clearly art school 🤪🎨🖌️

#cells #gradschool #phd by @kairaphds

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2 months ago

Qualifying exams look different for every program. For me, it was a two-hour oral exam at the end of my first year.

In celebration of my exam being a year ago 🥳, here are some general tips I’d give anyone preparing for theirs:
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#qualifyingexam #immunology #phd

You need to understand your project and foundational concepts deep enough to reason through questions. There will always be a question you don’t know the answer to & that’s okay.

Knowing your project is different from understanding the reasoning and logic behind it. Make sure you understand things like Why this question? Why this experiment? Why this control? Why this technique instead of another one?

Giving your talk perfectly from beginning to end isn’t the hard part. Practice with others. Have people interrupt you, challenge your thoughts, and ask follow-ups.

This is a big one. Instead of just saying “I don’t know” follow it up with something like: “I don’t know for certain, but based on ___, I would predict ___, and I could test that by ___.”

That demonstrates scientific reasoning even when you don’t know the fact they’re asking about.

You should be able to explain what your experiments can and cannot conclude. And if there’s an obvious alternative explanation for your result, expect someone to ask about it.

The exam is a milestone in your training, not proof that you’re done learning. Continue reading and thinking critically. by @kairaphds

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2 months ago

Shhh.. quiet at the bench 🤫😂

Today I did a transmigration assay and was doing some flow prep :)
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#gradschool #experiment #phd by @kairaphds

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2 months ago

This week was a 7/10 for me 😁 I did a some experiments, worked on my upcoming committee meeting presentation, weened some mice, & did flow analysis. What is 1 thing that you did this week?
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#experiment #immunology #gradschool by @kairaphds

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2 months ago

Sometimes you have to look back and remind yourself of how far you’ve come (Especially when motivation is low & stress is high)

Here’s to slowly becoming everything we once dreamed about & more 🥂😌
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#blackinstem #gradschool #journey by @kairaphds

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3 months ago

Everyone’s journey to graduate school looks different so here’s a glimpse into✨mine✨

From my first exposure to basic lab skills in high school, to starting college during the COVID-19 pandemic, to joining a virology lab in undergrad, each step helped shape where I am today.

In May 2024, I graduated from college, and two months later, I moved out of state to start my PhD 😅

None of this happened overnight. Every experience along the way taught me something and helped prepare me for the next step.

Your journey won’t look like anyone else’s - and it most definitely doesn’t have to. The experiences that shape you are part of what makes your path uniquely yours 🫶🏾
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#gradstudent #immunology #phd by @kairaphds

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3 months ago