Our team is composed of a diverse set of individuals, spanning various departments and levels of graduate career.
Davide Schilirò, M.D. is a postdoctoral associate in the Transplant Immune Regulation and Tolerance Lab (TIRTL) at Duke, working with Dr. Knechtle and Dr. Kwun. His research focuses on nonhuman primate models of kidney transplantation, investigating immunosuppressive regimens for sensitized recipients, tolerance induction, and xenotransplantation. Previously, he was a junior clinical research fellow in organ retrieval and transplantation at The Roy Calne Transplant Unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and an anatomy demonstrator at the University of Cambridge. Davide finds transplantation uniquely inspiring for its unparalleled spirit of cooperation, where innovation thrives at the intersection of diverse expertise, and success is only possible through seamless teamwork and shared purpose.Alicia M. Bedolla, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral associate in Dr. Terrando’s lab in the Department of Anesthesiology. She was a first-generation college student at Berea College where she received her bachelor of arts degree in neuroscience before going on to a Ph.D. in neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati. Alicia’s primary research interests are in aging and neurodegeneration. Her current work is studying choroid plexus in post-operative delirium in the context of Alzheimer’s disease and aging. Outside of science, she enjoys bouldering, playing tennis, hanging out with her dogs and cat, and playing music.Valerie Tsao is a first-year Ph.D. student in civil and environmental engineering, specializing in climate modeling and prediction with a focus on enhancing community resilience. Her research explores computational frameworks to deepen environmental understanding, including applying physics-informed neural networks for climate forecasting, investigating land heterogeneity’s impact on carbon emissions, and utilizing diffusion models to reconstruct atmospheric fields. Valerie holds an M.S. in structural engineering and geomechanics from Stanford University. Beyond academia, she enjoys experimenting with creative baking recipes, exploring new coffee shops, practicing Pilates, and immersing herself in a good book.Yixuan Jiang is pursuing her M.A. in Graduate Liberal Studies at Duke University while also working toward a Certificate in East Asian Studies. Her current research focuses on immigrant literature, postcolonial studies, feminist theory, East Asian literature and cultural studies. Passionate about education equity and reaching underserved communities, Yixuan has been actively teaching K-12 in rural schools. After completing her M.A., she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in literature to advance her academic and professional goals. In her spare time, Yixuan enjoys hiking, reading and traveling.
