Meet our Team

​Our team is comprised of various backgrounds and unique interests. We work in a collaborative manner and share in the goal of furthering our field. Get to know our team below!

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Kymberly M. Gowdy, PhD
​Principal Investigator
​Assistant Professor

​How the environment can alter the pulmonary immune response has been a central focus of my research since graduate school. My lab is currently investigating how scavenger receptors are modulated during different environmental exposures and whether or not this predisposes the lung and cardiovascular systems to chronic diseases (both infectious and inflammatory). My personal interests include reading, hiking, working out, watching college football and basketball (Go Hokies!).

Sky Reece, PhD
​Research Assistant Professor

​My research is focused on understanding how environmental exposures to air pollutants, allergens, or nanoparticles can lead to immune mediated lung damage and ultimately led to chronic lung diseases. The primary goal of my research is to identify novel molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in neutrophilic asthma.  By understanding these novel mechanisms, I will be able to identify new strategies for the treatment of neutrophilic asthma through new therapeutic targets.  My hobbies include reading, going to amusement parks, and exercising. For a full list of PubMed citations, click here.

Bin Luo
Research Specialist


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​Myles Hodge
​PhD student in Pharmacology and Toxicology

My Research interests are neuroscience, cardiovascular, and pulmonary studies. Also, my hobbies are writing poetry, archery, and video gaming. I prefer preventative medicine over treatments in most cases because I'd rather know how I can not get sick versus how I can get better after the fact!

Christine Psaltis
PhD Student in Pharmacology and Toxicology

My research focuses on the lipid-raft protein Prohibitin and determining its role in preserving cardiac function during sepsis.  I am particularly interested in the innate immune response and learning how Prohibitin mediates inflammation.  My hobbies include traveling, reading, playing the piano and percussion instruments.

Elizabeth Browder
Research Assistant

I conduct studies that research how ozone exposure alters susceptibility to respiratory pathogens. I am interested in aquatic toxicology/microbiology and plan to attend Veterinary school in the future. My hobbies include ballet, hiking, scuba diving, and reading fiction.
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Former Members

​Preet Gudimella, MD Doctor of Medicine (MD)

Brita Kilburg-Basnyat, PhD, Toxicology Study Director at Covance Inc. 

Michael Yaeger, MS in Biomedical engineering, Research Associate at Lovelace Biomedical