Researcher Spotlight: Elizabeth Peterson

What is your professional background? 
I received my bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences in 2013 from UGA. I went on to work in Dr. Parjit Kaur’s lab at Georgia State University (GSU) for my graduate studies and obtained my PhD in Biology with a concentration in Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry in 2019. My graduate research focused on biochemically characterizing the mouse ABCF3 protein, a partner of the flavivirus-resistant OAS1B protein, in collaboration with Dr. Margo Brinton’s lab at GSU. I started my current postdoc here at Emory in January 2020.

In what division do you work, and who is your mentor?
I work in the Division of Cardiology under Dr. Jinhu Wang’s mentorship.

Briefly describe your research. Why is it important? 
Irreparable damage occurs after myocardial infarction from significant cardiomyocyte loss and contributes to heart failure development, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the US. Reports of low levels of cardiomyocyte turnover throughout human life and neonatal cardiac regeneration in both mice and humans suggest an innate heart regenerative ability in mammals. As zebrafish have robust cardiac regeneration capabilities, we can examine the zebrafish model to identify cells and factors capable of stimulating endogenous regeneration programs in infarcted human hearts. Overall, my work focuses on the role of the immune system in zebrafish heart regeneration. Specifically, we have identified and are currently characterizing a novel cell type that ingests early recruited macrophages in the injured heart, potentially harnessing the early inflammatory response to support regenerative processes.  

What do you like most about Emory? 
I really like walking around on campus. The scenery is beautiful and there’s always something interesting going on. 

What is your favorite movie or TV show? 
Any “Law and Order” franchise. 

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love reading, whether it’s a fictional book or research paper. I also enjoy spending time with my family and my fiancé. 

What is a fun fact about you? 
I have two big, goofy, and beautiful rescue dogs named AJ and Darla.