Gillian M. Schiralli Lester

Gillian M. Schiralli Lester is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. With a PhD in Immunology of Infectious Disease from Pennsylvania State University and a BS in Biology from Niagara University, her academic journey has focused on understanding gene regulation mechanisms in disease contexts.

Research Interests: Her work bridges two major areas: (1) Investigating cell signaling pathways that control HIV replication to identify therapeutic targets, and (2) Developing gene delivery strategies for acute lung injury by dissecting cellular pathways required for nuclear trafficking of plasmid DNA. This dual focus connects molecular virology with translational gene therapy research.

Scientific Awards:

• Young Investigator Award (2014)
• Young Investigator Award (2011)
• Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Fellowship (2010-2011)
• Graduate Student Travel Award (2008)
• Graduate Fellowship Award (2003-2004)

Publications Overview: Her research contributions span HIV transcriptional regulation, kinase signaling in viral replication, and DNA trafficking mechanisms. Key themes include chromatin remodeling, RNA polymerase dynamics, and targeted therapeutic development using molecular virology approaches.