Victor DeFilippis

Associate Professor
Victor received his B.A. from the University of Montana and his Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine where he studied molecular evolution of human papillomaviruses. His research has encompassed many aspects of antiviral innate immunity including induction and evasion of interferon and inflammasome responses by cytomegaloviruses, alphaviruses, and flaviviruses. His laboratory currently focuses on understanding the immunological importance of the cGAS-STING pathway and ways in which it can be pharmacologically harnessed to enhance the potency of viral vaccines and antitumor responses. This involves mechanistic and applied studies using a variety of molecular, in vitro, and in vivo models including genetically humanized mice and nonhuman primates. Viruses in which we are especially interested include Chikungunya, Zika, SARS-CoV-2, and Mpox.

Victor enjoys camping and exploring the Pacific Northwest, hiking, fishing, golf, coaching kids’ sports, and live music. He lives at home with his wife and two energetic sons.

Jinu Abraham

Assistant Staff Scientist
I am a Staff Scientist working in the Defilippis lab since 2015. I obtained my Ph.D from Ohio University where I studied the role of SUMOylation and NF-kB pathway in Drosophila hematopoiesis. My research in the Defilippis lab is focused on identifying novel STING-pathway agonists using high-throughput screens and reporter cell lines. I also study the mechanism of action of the novel STING-pathway agonists identified in the high-throughput screens.

Nobuyo Mizuno

Research Associate
Nobuyo is originally from Japan and she obtained her BS in chemistry and MS in biochemistry from Ochanomizu University. She joined the DeFilippis lab in 2016 after four years working as a technician at Shriners Hospital for Children, Portland. Her current projects focus on STING-mediated immune responses and antitumor activities in animal models. Nobuyo enjoys hiking, traveling to historical places, and Japanese tea ceremonies.

Kevin Jimenez-Perez

Research Assistant II
Kevin is originally from Oaxaca, Mexico. He received his undergraduate degree from Washington State University Vancouver, where he researched Danio rerio zebrafish pigmentation in the Cooper Lab. Since joining the Defilippis Lab in 2022, he has developed a deep-seeded interest in understanding the mechanisms of the innate immune system and its potential applications to improve viral treatments and patient outcomes. He is captivated by the human body's immunological response to viral pathogens, specifically, the cGAS-STING pathway. He is eager to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in this field since he has primarily been working with the Chikungunya virus, which predominantly affects individuals who do not have access to equitable medical care and treatment.

Zeek Rose

Research Assistant II
Zeek started in the DeFilippis lab in July 2023 and is excited to begin his career in research. He obtained his Associate of Applied Science in Natural Resource Technology from Mt Hood Community College in 2019 and his Bachelors of Science in Microbiology from Oregon State University in 2023. He was a student laboratory assistant for 3 years at the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Lab during his time studying at Oregon State University. He worked in the Bacteriology, Parasitology, and Mycology diagnostic laboratories. During this time, he developed interests in emerging infectious diseases, drug discovery, and microbial genomics. In the future, he aspires to work towards a PhD after further developing his research interests. During his free time, he does aerial trapeze, is active in the Portland Backyard Habitat program, DJ’s, plays Xbox, and loves to explore new hikes or hot springs in nature.