Nicholas Armas

Nicholas received his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry with a minor in History from the University of Arizona in 2022. While at Arizona, Nicholas studied the impacts of human cytomegalovirus infection on the host lipid metabolism in the lab of Dr. John G. Purdy. Nicholas joined the Graduate Program in Immunology in 2022, and is currently in the lab of Dr. Shannon Carty studying tonic TCR signaling and protein homeostasis in enforcing naive CD8+ T cell quiescence.

My research is focused on naive (antigen-inexperienced) CD8+ T cells and how their quiescent state is enforced. Tonic T cell receptor (TCR) signaling has been well-established in quiescence enforcement, but the precise mechanisms remain elusive. To investigate and elucidate a mechanism, our lab has turned to protein homeostasis as a potential mediator. Overall, the goal is to better understand what keeps our naive CD8+ T cells alive - without them, we are without the inherent diversity of effector T cells.

Flow Cytometry

Computational Bioinformatics

Cell Culture

Western Blot

qPCR

Armas ND, Correa-Medero LO, Lee R and Carty SA. Investigating the role of Sel1L/ERAD in the enforcement of naïve CD8+ T cell quiescence by tonic TCR signaling. Poster presentation. Graduate Program in Immunology Annual Retreat, June 2024.

Armas N, Xi Y, and Purdy JG. HCMV and the Host Lipid Metabolism: A New Perspective. University of Arizona UROC Summer Colloquia, August 2021.

Armas N, Xi Y, and Purdy JG. Fatty Acid Elongase 5 in Conversation with Human Cytomegalovirus. University of California at Los Angeles National McNair Conference, July 2021.

NIH/NIAID T32 Trainee -- Research Training in Experimental Immunology (2023-2024)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/nicholas.armas.1/bibliography/public/

Outside of the lab, Nicholas enjoys the simple pleasures of life: tackling the "to be read" pile of books, journaling, listening to his records, and brewing a warm cup of tea. He also enjoys board games, card games, and an overly-competitive game of Mario Kart.