Our Team

Michael G. Constantinides, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Department of Immunology & Microbiology

Mike completed his postdoctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. Yasmine Belkaid, where he studied how the microbiome influences mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells. He determined that early-life microbial exposure imprints the abundance of tissue-resident MAIT cells and subsequent interactions with the microbiota modulate their ability to promote tissue repair. For his Ph.D. research, Mike studied the development of innate lymphocytes in the laboratory of Dr. Albert Bendelac. Together with his colleagues, Mike established that PLZF orchestrates the effector program of natural killer T cells and extended this discovery to innate lymphoid cells (ILCs). In doing so, he identified a committed ILC precursor and determined the lineage relationships between innate lymphocytes. Mike enjoys participating in scientific outreach and exploring the outdoors with his dogs, Drs. Loumi and Chloe (see profile below).

Education
B.A. – Princeton University
Ph.D. – University of Chicago
Fellowship – National Institutes of Health

Select Awards
AAI Pfizer-Showell Award – 2024
NIGMS Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (R35) – 2023
Donald E. & Delia B. Baxter Foundation Faculty Scholar – 2021
NIAID Career Transition Award (K22) – 2021
AAI-Thermo Fisher Trainee Achievement Award – 2017
NIH Fellows Award for Research Excellence – 2017
AAI Lefrançois-BioLegend Memorial Award – 2016
CRI Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship – 2015

Google Scholar – LinkedIn – ORCID

Nikhita Arun

Research Assistant, JOINed 2024

Nikhita graduated from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH with a B.S. in neuroscience and a B.A. in medical anthropology. Throughout her undergraduate years she developed her passion for research by working in neuroimmunology labs and completed her honors thesis on meningeal lymphatic dysfunction in age associated neurodegeneration. Nikhita is interested in expanding her research interests in immunology while applying to medical school. Outside of the lab she enjoys hiking and exploring new places.

Education
B.S. & B.A. – Case Western Reserve University

Mireille Davis

Senior Lab Administrative Coordinator, Joined 2023

Mireille Davis is a Senior Lab Administrative Coordinator at Scripps Research with over 12 years of experience in the biotechnology industry. She is also a Certified Digital Marketing Associate. In her previous role, she was the Business Development and Sales Manager for Phalanx Biotech Group. She is skilled in technical writing, grant preparation, purchasing, and social media marketing. Mireille is passionate about helping others and is committed to making a positive impact on the world. She is also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Education
B.A. – Cal State University Long Beach

Dominic Haas

PhD candidate, joined 2022

Dominic completed his Bachelor of Health Sciences with a Biomedical Sciences specialization at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON, Canada. Dominic became interested in inflammatory diseases after taking classes in anatomy and pathophysiology; this interest urged him to study these diseases in a wet lab environment. His undergraduate thesis with Dr. Caminero focused on the role of microbial tryptophan metabolism in aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation and inflammatory bowel disease. Dominic is excited to continue studying the interplay of the microbiota and immune cells in the Constantinides Lab.

Education
B.H.Sc. – McMaster University

Select Awards
Dr. Chi-Huey Wong Endowed Fellowship – 2022
Scripps Research Dean’s Award – 2022
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Undergraduate Student Research Award – 2022
Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Summer Student Scholarship – 2021
Bachelor of Health Science Summer Research Scholarship – 2021

Jonathan Melamed

phd candidate, joined 2021

Jonathan is a second-year graduate student interested in learning more about the dynamics between commensal microbiota and the immune system. He completed a 5-year B.S./M.S. at UC Santa Barbara, where he studied pharmacology & molecular biology. Afterwards, he worked as a research associate in a mass spectrometry lab at UCSF, where he performed analyses for several different fields of research. During this time, he became interested in the microbiome after learning about the emerging field of pharmacomicrobiomics. Outside the lab, Jonathan spends his time surfing and practicing Brazilian jiu jitsu.

Education
B.S. – University of Santa Barbara
M.S. – University of Santa Barbara

Select Awards
Top presenter, IMM Research in Progress – 2023

Loumi, M.D. Ph.D. & Chloe, M.D. Ph.D.

MASCOTS

Following their graduation from Good Dog University summa cum laude, Loumi (left) and Chloe (right) completed the M.D. Ph.D. program at the Institute for Advanced Dog Studies, where they established that meat does in fact taste better than vegetables. They subsequently completed their surgical residencies at Squirrel Chase Canine Center, where they perfected their technique on numerous dog toys. They’re currently studying how consuming your food affects their microbiomes.

Education
B.A. – Good Dog University
M.D. Ph.D. – Institute for Advanced Dog Studies
Residency – Squirrel Chase Canine Center

Alumni

Open Positions