Spotlight: Nhung Le, PhD
By Brent Davis
There are some people who just brighten up your day. Dr. Le is one of those people. She is originally from Vietnam where she learned the values of hard work and honesty from her parents. Her father was a government official and her mother a doctor. Her mother inspired her to get into healthcare as a research scientist.
She is passing on this heritage to her two daughters, ten and eight, and, of course, to her many students. Dr. Le enjoys swimming and interior design, but nowadays mostly enjoys playing with her children. She also used to volunteer with Big Brothers, Big Sisters before focusing on her daughters.
Dr. Le has a PhD in Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Her research interests include reproduction and oncology. Her work was centered around biocomplexity and how our immune system communicates with our microbiome, as well as how these interactions affect female reproductive disorders such as endometriosis and preterm birth. She wants to continue her focus on using molecular biology techniques in order to gain a mechanistic understanding of the interactions between the immune system and mucosal microbial dynamics. Her vision is to focus on her work and her family. We appreciate the great example Dr. Le is setting for our students and therefore are shining the spotlight on her devotion to students and family.
