Keoni Castellano
Faculty Mentors
Stanca Ciupe
Professor
Omar Saucedo
Assistant Professor
Research Areas/Interests
Mathematical analysis of infectious disease models
How long have you been in your postdoctoral position at Virginia Tech?
Began in August 2024
Briefly describe the research project you are working on as a postdoctoral associate at Virginia Tech. What is the problem you are addressing? What is the expected impact of your work?
We are studying a mathematical model of Hepatitis B to understand the effect of spatial heterogeneity in the liver on the spread of the virus. The expected impact is that we have a better understanding of how the Hepatitis B virus behaves within the liver. Crucially, this information can be useful in developing better treatment strategies for Hepatitis B.
Why did you choose to pursue postdoctoral training at Virginia Tech?
I chose to pursue training at Virginia Tech because the mathematical biology group here has many resources, is very close-knit with each other, and is increasingly well-known in the math bio world. It just seemed like the perfect place to be able to develop my career at and grow as an independent researcher.
I also chose Virginia Tech because I was impressed by its strong commitment to diversity, community, and excellence. It was clear to me that that all members of the Virginia Tech community are pushed to grow successfully in their careers and are given the resources to do exactly that.
What are your career goals?
I am interested in pursuing a science advocacy- or policy-oriented career.
How do you see the resources available to postdoctoral associates at Virginia Tech generally and via this program specifically being helpful to your career and professional development?
I am impressed by the wide variety of resources that are available to postdocs here at Virginia Tech. I plan on taking advantage of workshops and other resources designed to improve mentorship skills, grant writing skills, and leadership skills. I believe that taking the time to develop these three skills would be beneficial for my new desired career path.