Hello,
My name is Joel Nelson and I started in Olga’s laboratory September 2011. I am a lab tech and plan on starting graduate school in the Oral Biology Ph.D. program in the near future. Currently, I am primarily focused on research involving Resolvins. Resolvins (resolution-phase interaction products) belong to a family of novel lipid mediators that possess dual anti-inflammatory and pro-resolution actions. I am interested in the role that resolvins have in auto-immune diseases such as Sjögren’s syndrome. I have also been involved in a project that aims to improve culture methods of salivary acinar cells. I am working to find a suitable combination of bio-compatible scaffold and growth factors/extracellular matrix proteins that allow for optimal growth of salivary cells. In my free time I look to travel as much as possible. However, while in Buffalo I love to watch hockey, listen to music, and spend time with friends, family, and my better half Melissa.

Cheers,

Joel