Bryan received his PhD in Genomic and Computational Biology from Duke University where he studied how bacteria evolve when living inside of a host. He then moved to Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington for his postdoctoral work where he characterized interactions between mucosal microbiota and immune cells in infants and cisgender females. At UCR, his group aims to develop and use computational and molecular tools to identify evolutionary consequences and molecular mechanisms regulating interactions between immune cells and bacteria, viruses, and all of the microbes that colonize us! He also enjoys climbing a variety of media, spending time in the Sierra, and thinking a little too much about brewing that perfect cup of joe.

Postdoctoral Fellow

chathume [at] ucr [dot] edu

With a background in bioinformatics, I am passionate about applying computational approaches to understand complex biological systems, particularly the interactions between the microbiome, viruses, and the immune system. As I join the Brown Lab at UCR, I am eager to expand my skill set by gaining hands-on training in molecular biology and immunological techniques. I am enthusiastic about integrating bioinformatics with laboratory-based research, and I look forward to contributing to the lab’s projects while learning new methods in immunology and molecular biology.

Kathyayini (Kathy) is a physician-scientist who trained as a medical doctor in India, where she cared for critically ill newborns in a neonatal intensive care unit. Her experiences there sparked a deep interest in preventing infections in vulnerable infants, leading her to pursue a PhD in Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh. There, she studied how antibodies in breast milk shape the infant gut microbiome and protect against diseases like necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). She continued this work during postdoctoral training at UPMC Children’s Hospital and Caltech, using tools like CRISPR and microbiome sequencing to explore how early-life microbes impact newborn health. At UC Riverside, her research focuses on developing early diagnostics and uncovering how breast milk and gut microbes influence immune development and vaccine responses in infants. Outside the lab, she enjoys hiking local trails with her daughters, reading, and experimenting with recipes from around the world.