Voss Lab
Kelsey Voss, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Principle Investigator
Dr. Kelsey Voss completed her PhD in Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD, USA. In the lab of Dr. Andrew Snow, she described alternative roles for the transcription factor FOXP3 in human T cells involved in apoptosis sensitivity. Apoptosis in T cells is necessary to maintain immune homeostasis and is also regulated by cellular metabolism. She described how different metabolic pathways such as fatty acid synthesis contributes to apoptosis sensitivity in T cells which piqued her interest in immunometabolism. She then completed her postdoctoral training at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN, USA. In the lab of Dr. Jeff Rathmell, she contributed to multiple studies of metabolism in T cell differentiation and inflammation. Dr. Voss has defined important differences in iron metabolism in T cell subsets such as Th1, Th17, and Treg. She has focused on applying these concepts to autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and systemic lupus erythematosus to launch her independent research career at the University of Virginia.
Mentorship Statement:
Science can be brutal; from the many failed experiments, reviewer critiques and peer criticisms of our work, and a dangerous sense of self-worth where our identities can become entangled with our successes. To alleviate these stressors and help young trainees become equipped to manage them, the main values that define my mentorship style are: creating a safe learning environment where everyone feels welcome, building self-confidence and a sense of belonging, and individualized mentorship to complement different personalities. I stand firm in my commitment to create a safe training environment that fosters creativity and growth as human beings.
When not in the lab, you can find Kelsey...
Exploring a new city with an oat milk latte ​
Enjoying a margarita with a bowl of queso fundido
