Appreciation Luncheon and Tour at Emory National Primate Research Center

On April 23, 2025, the James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies hosted ARCS Atlanta members for a tour and Appreciation Luncheon at the Emory National Primate Research Center & Emory Vaccine Center. The program and luncheon highlighted the vital basic science and translational research conducted at Emory—work that impacts not only the Atlanta community but also communities around the world.

We were welcomed by Monica K. Polisetty, Senior Managing Director of Development, James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies and Dr. R. Paul Johnson, Director, Emory National Primate Research Center.

The fascinating three-part tour included
- the Rengarajan Lab where Dr. Jyothi Rengaragan’s research program seeks to understand the mechanisms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenesis and host immunity to infection,
- a Parkinson’s disease conversation with Dr. Thomas Wichmann, Deputy Director of the Primate Center & A. Worley Brown, Professor of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine,
- and a demonstration of personal protective equipment (PPE) along with a discussion of the importance of safety in research.

After a delicious lunch, Dr. Jyothi Rengarajan, Co-Director, Emory Tuberculosis Center & Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, gave a very interesting talk about tuberculosis research. We were also treated to insightful remarks from our former Herz Global Impact Scholar, Ana Enriquez, who is now a Research Microbiologist at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

Thanks from Alum Collette Miller, Postdoctoral Fellow at US Environmental Protection Agency

"Thank you all for reaching out and the support over the years. It's been a rocky few years following the passing of my doctoral research mentor a few weeks prior to my dissertation defense. Trying to rebound from his loss, finishing my dissertation, and figuring out where to go from there was challenging to say the least ... Thank you again for your support. Honestly I did not know how much I would have ended up relying on the generous gift that the Atlanta Chapter of ARCS Foundation provided when it was first received. However, it was vital in helping me launch a new chapter in my career when I found my plans collapse when my mentor passed. Again, THANK YOU!"

Thanks from Scholar Natale Sciolino

"Thank you dearly for your generous contribution to my scientific development. Your contribution has had a profound impact on me at both a personal and professional level. It is a privilege to be an ARCS Scholar, and with this support I will continue to pursue research that aims to advance Neuroscience."

Thanks from Scholar Kevin Yehl

"I was very fortunate to be selected as one of this year's ARCS scholars... I plan to pursue an academic career in chemistry... Your support will allow me to continue my biomedical research in developing novel strateigies to treat drug resistant cancers and cardiovascular diseases... Again, thank you so much for your support of the sciences and post graduate education, both of which are very important in keeping America competitive..."

Appreciation Luncheon and Tour at Emory National Primate Research Center

Recent ARCS Events

Thanks from Alum Collette Miller, Postdoctoral Fellow at US Environmental Protection Agency

Thanks from Scholar Natale Sciolino

Thanks from Scholar Kevin Yehl