Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

Carlos Rivera

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

  • Professional Background

    Education

    • 2020 - Ph.D. Molecular Immunology & Microbiology - University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
    • 2014 - M.S. Chemistry - University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
    • 2010 - B.S. Biology - University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

    Honors

    • 2019 - AAI Trainee Abstract Award
    • 2019 - Jackson ImmunoResearch Travel Grant
    • 2019 - 1st Place Poster Presentation Award, Vaccine Development Center of San Antonio Conference
    • 2019 - Poster Presentation Award, Institute for Integration of Medicine and Science 10th Annual Frontiers of Translational Science Research Day
    • 2019 - Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics Travel Award
    • 2020 - UT Health San Antonio SABER (IRACDA) Scholar (NIH K12), Postdoctoral Fellow

    Professional Memberships

    • 2015-Present - American Association of Immunologists
  • Research

    As a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Paolo Casali's laboratory, I am interested in the molecular genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that underpin the maturation of antibody responses to microbial pathogens as well as autoantibody responses in autoimmunity. Their understanding is critical for the design of effective vaccines to bacterial and viral pathogens as well as devising targeted therapies in systemic autoimmune diseases.

  • Publications

    Yan, H., Fernandez, M., Wang, J., Wu, S., Wang, R., Lou, Z., Moroney, J., Rivera, C.E., Taylor, J.R., Gan, H., Zan, H., Kolvaskyy, D., Liu, D., Casali, P., Xu., Z. B cell endosomal Rab7 promotes TRAF6 K63 polyubiquitination and NF-B activation for antibody class-switching. J. Immunol. 204, 1146-1157 (2020)

    Lam, T., Kulp, D.V., Wang, R., Lou, Z., Taylor, J.R., Rivera, C.E., Yan, H., Zhang, Q., Wang, Z., Zan, H., Ivanov, D.N., Zhong, G., Casali, P., Xu., Z. Small Molecule inhibition of Rab7 impairs B cell class switching and plasma cell survival to dampen the autoantibody response in murine lupus. J. Immunol. 197, 3792-3805 (2016).