Our Team
Dr. Peter Ramirez
Principal Investigator
Dr. Ramirez was born and raised in a small agricultural town in Southern °µÍøTV(Santa Paula). He received his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biochemistry from UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) and his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Utah.
He conducted postdoctoral training at UC San Diego (UCSD), where he worked on determining how the HIV-1 Nef protein enhances viral replication. As a postdoc, Dr. Ramirez participated in San Diego IRACDA, gaining expertise in teaching, mentoring, and supervising a diverse cohort of students.
He participated in the UCSD Raising Advancement and Parity for Infectious Disease Researchers (RAPID) program as an early career faculty member.
Dr. Ramirez's lab focuses on determining how virus-cell interactions influence the cellular response to infection, with particular emphasis on HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. He is passionate about enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in science and has been involved with SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science) since his days as an undergraduate student.
Outside the classroom/lab, Dr. Ramirez likes to run, hike, paddleboard, play guitar, , and read fantasy/science fiction books.
M.S. Graduate °µÍøTV
Armin Naghshineh
Project: Characterizing host factors required for SARS-CoV-2 replication
Hobbies: Basketball, gym, gaming, watching sports
Kassandra Gutierrez
Project: Defining host factors required for HIV-1 Nef pathogenesis
Hobbies: Reading Sci-fi, Fantasy, and Horror books, crocheting, and knitting
Paul Gray
Project: Role of metabolic reprogramming in SARS-CoV-2 infection
Hobbies: Baseball, Pokémon, cars, trying new cafes
Undergraduate Student Researchers
Julia Vicente
NIH-°µÍøTV T34 U-RISE Fellow
Project: Evaluating Heparan-Sulfate (HS) mimetics as broad-spectrum antivirals
Hobbies: Board games, movie and show marathons, learning how to cook, and coloring
Siena Giddens
NIH-°µÍøTV T34 U-RISE Fellow
Project: Characterizing host factors required for HIV-1 Nef pathogenesis
Hobbies: cooking, thrifting, cafe hopping, going to the gym, photography
Juan Benitez
Project: Generating mammalian expression plasmids for interaction & immunofluorescence studies
Hobbies: Guitar, movies, and watching The Sopranos
Sophia Oushani
Project: Targeting long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) for HIV-1 latency reversal
Hobbies: Gym/weightlifting, reading fiction and psychology books, playing with my cat and crocheting
Lab Alumni
Graduate Alumni
- Grace Armendariz, M.S. (2026)
- Michael Anderson, M.S. (2025)
- Bridges to the Doctorate Fellow (NIH-T32)
- Current Position: PhD student at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
- Program: Virology & Gene Therapy
- Christina Pantoja, M.S. (2023)
- Bridges to the Doctorate Fellow (NIH-T32)
- Current Position: PhD student at UC Irvine
- Program: Cell & Molecular Biosciences
- Francisco Acosta, M.S. (2023)
- °µÍøTV Richard D. Green Fellow
- Current Position: PhD student at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
- Program: Virology & Gene Therapy
- Angus Fuori, M.S. (2023)
- Current Position: High School Biology Teacher
Undergraduate Alumni
- Angelica Cristobal, B.S. (2026)
- U-RISE fellow (NIH-T34)
- Current Position: Medical Assistant (Guam)
- Ruth Bishay, B.S. (2026)
- °µÍøTV Biotechnology Certificate program (CIRM)
- Current Position: CIRM Intern at UC Irvine
- Elajae Lee, B.S. (2026)
- Current Position: Phlebotomist
- Bisma Atif, B.S. (2026)
- LSAMP fellow (NSF)
- Maya Wyr, B.S. (2025)
- U-RISE fellow (NIH-T34)
- Current Position: PhD student at UPenn
- Program: Cell & Molecular Biology
- Priscilla Ceja, B.S. (2025)
- U-RISE fellow (NIH-T34)
- °µÍøTV Honors Program
- Current Position: Manufacturing Associate, PCI Pharma Services
- Pearl Lambarena (2024-2025)
- LSAMP fellow (NSF)
- Hyun Lee (2023-2024)
- Lindsay Park, B.S. (2024)
- LSAMP fellow (NSF)
- Current Position: PhD student at UC Riverside
- Program: Microbiology
- Julian Lopez, B.S. (2024)
- °µÍøTV Biotechnology Certificate program (CIRM)
- Current Position: Lab technician at UC Irvine
- Joshua Licata, B.S. (2024)
- UROP fellow (°µÍøTV)
- Current Position: Sales representative, ChemoMetec
- Thomas Carrillo, B.S. (2024)
- RISE fellow (NIH T34)
- Current Position: Research Technician, USC
- Alexander Garcia, B.S. (2024)
- RISE fellow (NIH T34)
- Current Position: Ph.D. student at UC Irvine
- Program: Cell & Molecular Biosciences
- Annisity Miller, B.S. (2023)
- Mariela Michel, B.S. (2023)
- Rudy Macias, B.S. (2023)
- Current Position: EMT
- Ruth Bishay (2023)
- KURE fellow (CIRM)
- Johann Tailor, B.S. (2022)
- BUILD fellow (NIH T34)
- Current Position: Ph.D. student at San Diego State
- Program: Cell & Molecular Biology
- Georgina Oceguera, B.S. (2022)
- °µÍøTV Honors Program
- Current Position: Ph.D. student at the University of Utah
- Program: Microbiology & Immunology
