Graduate Students

I'm a Graduate Student Researcher in the Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Group. I graduated from UC Davis with a Bachelor's in Microbiology, pursued research in both academic and industry settings, and then went on to complete a Master's degree in Stem Cell Biology at Sacramento State. In the Miller lab, I am utilizing induced pluripotent stem cells differentiated into lung progenitors to investigate the toxicological effects of E-cigarette constituents. For fun, I take spin classes, troubleshoot dessert recipes, and watch anime.

My name is Taylor Westmont and I am a Graduate Student Researcher. I am in the Graduate Group of Immunology as well as the Designated Emphasis in Biotechnology. I went to Tufts University and received a B.S. in Biology. Science excites me not only because I find it interesting but because with science we have the potential to change and save people’s lives. In the Miller lab I am working on understanding why pediatric populations are particularly vulnerable to respiratory diseases, including influenza. Specifically I am looking into the role of the lung microbiome as well as the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) in mucosal immunity. Outside of lab I enjoy reading books, drinking tea, eating chocolate, and listening to music.

I am a graduate student in the Integrative Pathobiology Graduate Group. I am currently in the MS track hoping to transfer to pursue my PhD. I graduated with a B. Tech in Biotechnology from Vellore Institute of Technology, India in 2022. At the Miller lab, I will be studying how early life antibiotics use in infants affects the development and establishment of pulmonary immunity. Specifically, I will be focused on characterizing differences in immune cells populations in antibiotics treated infants. During my down time I enjoy, music, reading, trying new kinds of coffee, binge watching tv shows and learning new languages on my journey to becoming a polyglot.