PERSONNEL
Personnel
Personnel
Personnel
Meet the Members of the Nguyen Lab
Dr. Cuong Nguyen
Associate Professor
Dr. Nguyen is an associate professor at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine, specializing in infectious diseases and immunology. His main research focus is on understanding the autoimmune process of Sjögren's disease, using single-cell analysis to examine the function of individual immune cells. He also utilizes rational in-silico drug design to identify therapeutic targets, such as disease-associated HLA, to block the autoimmune process.
Dr. Nguyen is an associate professor at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine, specializing in infectious diseases and immunology. His main research focus is on understanding the autoimmune process of Sjögren's disease, using single-cell analysis to examine the function of individual immune cells.
Dr. Nguyen's expertise in developing animal models for Sjögren's disease facilitates the translation of his research to human patients. Additionally, he has collaborated with colleagues on projects involving the isolation of monoclonal antibodies for SARS-CoV-2, Dengue virus, and Zika virus from infected patients. Using innovative technologies, his lab has identified small molecules to treat eastern coral snake venom and oral squamous cell carcinoma in dolphins.
As a faculty member at the University of Florida, Dr. Nguyen has mentored numerous students, including 10 Ph.D. and MS students, 16 undergraduate students, and 11 postdoctoral fellows and scholars. He serves as an associate editor for several scientific journals, including Scientific Reports, Frontiers Immunology, and Frontiers Genetics, RNA. Dr. Nguyen has also been involved in various NIH Study Sections and has been serving on the admission committee for the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Nguyen holds four issued patents and has two pending patents. He earned his BS in Biochemistry from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, his PhD from the University of Florida, and completed his postdoctoral research at MIT.
Dr. Nguyen is an associate professor at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine, specializing in infectious diseases and immunology. His main research focus is on understanding the autoimmune process of Sjögren's disease, using single-cell analysis to examine the function of individual immune cells. He also utilizes rational in-silico drug design to identify therapeutic targets, such as disease-associated HLA, to block the autoimmune process.
Dr. Nguyen's expertise in developing animal models for Sjögren's disease facilitates the translation of his research to human patients. Additionally, he has collaborated with colleagues on projects involving the isolation of monoclonal antibodies for SARS-CoV-2, Dengue virus, and Zika virus from infected patients. Using innovative technologies, his lab has identified small molecules to treat eastern coral snake venom and oral squamous cell carcinoma in dolphins.
As a faculty member at the University of Florida, Dr. Nguyen has mentored numerous students, including 10 Ph.D. and MS students, 16 undergraduate students, and 11 postdoctoral fellows and scholars. He serves as an associate editor for several scientific journals, including Scientific Reports, Frontiers Immunology, and Frontiers Genetics, RNA. Dr. Nguyen has also been involved in various NIH Study Sections and has been serving on the admission committee for the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Nguyen holds four issued patents and has two pending patents. He earned his BS in Biochemistry from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, his PhD from the University of Florida, and completed his postdoctoral research at MIT.
Dr. Nguyen is an associate professor at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine, specializing in infectious diseases and immunology. His main research focus is on understanding the autoimmune process of Sjögren's disease, using single-cell analysis to examine the function of individual immune cells.
Alexandria Voigt
Lab Manager
Alexandria Voigt joined the lab in 2013 after her sister’s diagnosis with Sjögren’s Disease. Her research focuses on pathogenic T cells and the mitigation of their effects by blocking the HLA-TCR interaction with small molecules. Outside of the lab, Alexandria enjoys spending time with her family and traveling. She also enjoys watching reality TV, like Love Island USA and Love Is Blind.
Alexandria Voigt joined the lab in 2013 after her sister’s diagnosis with Sjögren’s Disease. Her research focuses on pathogenic T cells and the mitigation of their effects by blocking the HLA-TCR interaction with small molecules. Outside of the lab, Alexandria enjoys spending time with her family and traveling. She also enjoys watching reality TV, like Love Island USA and Love Is Blind.
Alexandria Voigt joined the lab in 2013 after her sister’s diagnosis with Sjögren’s Disease. Her research focuses on pathogenic T cells and the mitigation of their effects by blocking the HLA-TCR interaction with small molecules.
Outside of the lab, Alexandria enjoys spending time with her family and traveling. She also enjoys watching reality TV, like Love Island USA and Love Is Blind.
Pat Glenton
Mouse Colony Manager
Pat Glenton's specialty is mouse colony management, which involves setting up and maintaining mouse strains complete with genotyping to monitor genetic shifts, renewal of animal protocols, purchasing, and budget monitoring for Dr. Nguyen Laboratory. When she is not working, she enjoys carriage driving with her horse, Great Dane rescue dog Sydney (featured in her profile pic), obedience training, and occasionally pet sitting.
Pat Glenton's specialty is mouse colony management, which involves setting up and maintaining mouse strains complete with genotyping to monitor genetic shifts, renewal of animal protocols, purchasing, and budget monitoring for Dr. Nguyen Laboratory. When she is not working, she enjoys carriage driving with her horse, Great Dane rescue dog Sydney (featured in her profile pic), obedience training, and occasionally pet sitting.
Pat Glenton's specialty is mouse colony management, which involves setting up and maintaining mouse strains complete with genotyping to monitor genetic shifts, renewal of animal protocols, purchasing, and budget monitoring for Dr. Nguyen Laboratory.
When she is not working, she enjoys carriage driving with her horse, Great Dane rescue dog Sydney (featured in her profile pic), obedience training, and occasionally pet sitting.
She's passionate about wildlife and marine mammals, and hopes to pursue a career in zoo medicine and wildlife research. Nancy is an international student from Suzhou, China, and she earned her B.S. in Animal Science (with a Biology minor) from Rutgers University—New Brunswick in 2023. Outside the lab and classes, you’ll usually find her binging Netflix from bed!
With a multidisciplinary background in clinical medicine, epidemiology, and immunology, Dr. Li specializes in HLA-associated autoimmune diseases, structural biology, and computational drug discovery. She has solved and deposited over a dozen HLA crystal structures, advanced understanding of Sjögren’s syndrome and Type 1 Diabetes, and contributed to therapeutic development for COVID-19 and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Her work integrates molecular assays with in silico modeling to uncover disease mechanisms and identify novel treatments.”
Danmeng Li
Research Assistant Professor
Danmeng Li, MD, MSc is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology at the University of Florida. With a multidisciplinary background in clinical medicine, epidemiology, and immunology, Dr. Li specializes in HLA-associated autoimmune diseases, structural biology, and computational drug discovery. She has solved and deposited over a dozen HLA crystal structures, advanced understanding of Sjögren’s syndrome and Type 1 Diabetes, and contributed to therapeutic development for COVID-19 and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Her work integrates molecular assays with in silico modeling to uncover disease mechanisms and identify novel treatments.”
Danmeng Li, MD, MSc is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology at the University of Florida. With a multidisciplinary background in clinical medicine, epidemiology, and immunology, Dr. Li specializes in HLA-associated autoimmune diseases, structural biology, and computational drug discovery. She has solved and deposited over a dozen HLA crystal structures, advanced understanding of Sjögren’s syndrome and Type 1 Diabetes, and contributed to therapeutic development for COVID-19 and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Her work integrates molecular assays with in silico modeling to uncover disease mechanisms and identify novel treatments.”
Danmeng Li, MD, MSc is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology at the University of Florida.
Nancy Xia
Master's Student