July Fellow's Spotlight on Alicer Andrew

This month's Fellows Spotlight goes to Keystone Symposia Fellow Dr. Alicer Andrew! Born and raised on the Caribbean island of Antigua, Dr. Andrew is a postdoctoral scholar at the UCSF Gladstone Institutes, where she studies HIV in the lab of Dr. Nadia Roan. She works in the Institute of Virology, where she characterizes HIV-specific T cell responses in people living with HIV, and endometrial immune responses in the context of infectious diseases and infertility. As part of her Keystone fellowship experience, Alicer recently attended our conference on HIV Cure: Antiretroviral Therapy-Free Control of HIV Infection in Durban, South Africa where she was selected to present a short talk on her research. (see photo below)

In this Q&A, she shares what motivates her work and how the Fellows Program has influenced her career trajectory.  

Alicer Andrew, PhD

Postdoctoral Scholar, Roan Lab
Gladstone Institute of Virology
University of California, San Francisco

Briefly describe your research, why it is important, and what motivates you to pursue this area?

My research investigates longitudinal total and HIV-specific T cell responses in people with HIV (PWH) by defining the phenotypic and functional characteristics of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells before and after suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART). In my analyses, I compare T cell responses between PWH who initiated ART during acute HIV or chronic HIV, including a subgroup of chronic-treated individuals who spontaneously control HIV without ART, known as elite controllers.

This work is essential to improving our understanding of the immunological control of HIV through both ART-free and long-term ART-mediated mechanisms, which is vital for the development of more robust and comprehensive HIV cure strategies.

I was inspired by my previous research in malaria to pursue studies in HIV, given that malaria and HIV are co-endemic in many parts of the world, effective treatment and prevention methods exist for both, and yet the complexities of the human immune response to these infections remain incompletely understood. My goal is to one day combine my expertise in malaria and HIV to interrogate immune dynamics during co-infections and to elucidate the role that sex hormones play in disease control and persistence.

What pivotal moment sticks with you from your experience as a Keystone Symposia Fellow, and how has it impacted you?

By far, my most treasured moment as a Keystone fellow was meeting my Keystone fellowship mentor, Dr. Jean Lim. From the moment that we met at my first SAB meeting, Dr. Lim’s enthusiasm and openness made me feel comfortable and welcome. Without hesitation, Dr. Lim happily facilitated introductions between me and other Keystone SAB members, after having just met me for the first time herself! Since then, Dr. Lim has become a passionate supporter of my career development and brings insightful, candid, and helpful feedback to our mentor meetings. My interactions with Dr. Lim stand out because, without having anything to gain, Dr. Lim took her role as a mentor very seriously, and I am extremely grateful for her investment and commitment. Dr. Lim will surely become a lifelong mentor, and I would not have made this professional connection if it were not for the Keystone fellowship.

What prompted you to apply for the Fellows Program and how do you expect it to help shape your career?

Keystone Symposia has a strong reputation for fostering multidisciplinary connections among leaders from across various sectors of biomedical research, so when I learned about the fellowship, I jumped at the chance to apply, recognizing it as a unique opportunity to expand my professional network.

It is important to me that my research has a positive impact on society and that my future collaborations have the potential to significantly improve human health, and I expect that the visibility that I gain as a fellow will help me to achieve this goal both within and outside of the Keystone community.

What are your thoughts on the importance of mentorship? How has your Keystone mentor influenced you and your career? How do you act as a mentor for your community?

Mentorship is an absolutely vital aspect of scientific training and is necessary at every stage of career development. As an early career scientist, I deeply value my mentorships, including those that are outside of my institution or field of study, as they are an excellent way to develop my creativity, stay informed on a wider breadth of technological and research advances, and be exposed to new opportunities for collaboration and funding.

My Keystone mentor, Dr. Lim, is not in the HIV or malaria field, and yet she has quickly become an invaluable part of my mentorship team, providing insights that have already helped to shape my long-term career goals. Being a mentor is an equally rewarding experience, and I happily serve as a mentor to others in the lab, including most recently, as a science communication mentor to a graduate student, Sophia Miliotis, who went on to win the first-place prize in UCSF’s 3-minute “Grad Slam” research presentation contest. I also enjoy being a mentor outside of the lab and have done so through participation in various speaker panels and student organizations over the years.

What is the most valuable thing you've learned from Fellow’s Fridays?

These are very uncertain times for biomedical research funding and hiring opportunities, and one valuable thing that I’ve learned so far from Fellow’s Fridays is that there are many different foundations and initiatives that provide funding and professional support for impactful research. In fact, our meeting on Grant Strategies provided a long list of funding resources that I was not aware of prior to the meeting and will be keeping an eye on as I progress in my career. 

Meet Gladstone: Alicer Andrew

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Keystone Symposia Fellows Program

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