EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — An accomplished scientist advancing the field of vaccines returned to the El Paso Community College (EPCC), where her scientific journey began, to present her research seminar.
On Friday, Sept. 19, Dr. Leslie Rodriguez visited the Transmountain Campus to present her research seminar, “γδ T Cells Mediate Protective Immunity Following Vaccination with an Insect-Based Chikungunya Fever Vaccine in Mice.”
The presentation highlighted her doctoral research in vaccine development, building on work she also conducted at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, studying SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, according to EPCC in a news release.
However, the visit carried a special meaning as in 2017, Rodriguez graduated from EPCC with an Associate of Science in biology.
She then went on to earn her B.S. in biomedical sciences at UTEP in 2019 and, just this summer, her Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from UTMB Galveston, according to EPCC.
Rodriguez credits EPCC and its Rise to the Challenge program with sparking her interest in research.
“Fun fact, when I started at EPCC, I actually did not want to do research! I wanted to be an MD,” Rodriguez shared. “Several professors encouraged me to apply for the RISE program, and that’s when everything changed. I presented at the American Society for Microbiology meeting, and people were surprised I came from a community college. That early research experience set me apart and helped me get accepted into UTMB.”
Dr. Maria Alvarez, EPCC biology professor and director of the Rise to the Challenge program, said Rodriguez’s journey is a model of what students can achieve.
“It is extremely exciting to see our students reaching their academic goals and being engaged in amazing activities. She has conducted cutting-edge research and published her work on SARS-CoV-2 and Chikungunya fever vaccines. She is an excellent role model for our students, and we are very proud of her!” Alvarez added.
EPCC said that for Rodriguez, returning to EPCC was more than a seminar; it was a chance to reconnect with her roots and give back to the program that launched her career.
“Any chance I can, I try to come back and keep everyone updated on where I have been,” she said. “It’s great to talk to everyone at EPCC, and I’m honored to share the research I’ve done ever since I was here. It’s great to reconnect with my roots and where I started.”
Rodriguez’s journey continues this fall as she begins a post-doctoral position at LSU Health in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Looking ahead, she hopes to pursue a career in industry or at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
“I’m jumping from one alpha virus to another, a little more dangerous in the research field, but I just hope to learn new things in my post-doc and apply it in life,” Rodriguez said.
For more on the EPCC Rise to the Challenge program, visit here.
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