Principal Investigator
Souheil Younes, PhD
Assistant Professor
Pathology Advanced Translational Research Unit
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
View Faculty Profile | Publications
Souheil Antoine Younes obtained a Ph.D. in Microbiology-Immunology from the University of Montreal. During his time there, he studied immunology and microbiology with a focus on HIV-specific immune responses. Later, he investigated the homeostasis and dysfunction of CD4 T cells in HIV infection at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH), where he collaborated on projects under the supervision of Dr. William Paul and Dr. Ethan Shevach. He joined the Younes Lab/PATRU at Emory University in 2020. He continues to investigate the role of regulatory T cells and the gut microbiome in CD4 T cell homeostasis and HIV-1 reservoir maintenance. His current research interests include immune activation, T cell metabolism, and the impact of microbial products on immune function in HIV infection.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Dr. Younes continues to investigate T cell homeostasis. His current research interests include the role of mitochondrial dynamics in T cell homeostasis. Currently, Dr. Younes focuses on gut-derived bacterial toxins and their impact on the dysfunctional mitochondria that prevents CD4 T cell recovery in HIV-1 infection settings.
MANUSCRIPTS
Younes Lab Members
Lisa Daley-Bauer, PhD
Scientist, Asst (AR)
Pathology Advanced Translational Research Unit
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Lisa Daley-Bauer, PhD obtained a degree in Immunology from Cornell University where she defined the immune functions of camelid single-chain IgGs in response to parasitic and viral infections. The findings transformed the understanding of the importance of immunoglobulin light chains to mammalian immunity. Dr. Daley-Bauer later pursued post-doctoral studies in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University. Her studies clarified the long-standing question of the distinct roles of cytomegalovirus(CMV)-recruited classical and non-classical monocytes in disease pathogenesis. She later pursued investigations into the exploitation of viral modulation of inflammatory cell-death responses as a strategy for inducing long-lasting protective immunity and vaccine development. Further studies sought to investigate the impact of mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC) immunosuppressive therapy on anti-CMV immunity when used to prevent GVHD. She joined the Younes Lab/PATRU in 2025 where she will exploit MSC mitochondrial transfer to rejuvenate senescent CD4 T cells from HIV+ immune non-responders ART-recipients.
Lucas Flantzer
Research Specialist
Pathology Advanced Translational Research Unit
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Luke Flantzer obtained a Bachelor's of Science in Genetics from the University of Georgia in 2023. During his undergraduate years, he studied parasitic dormancy in the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas Disease, in the lab of Dr. Rick Tarleton. As a Research Specialist in the Younes Lab, he now works to uncover the relationship between CD4+ T Cells, HIV infection, and the gut microbiome. His research interests include host-microbe co-evolution and microbial pathogenesis, especially in the context of chronic infectious disease. Additionally, he is heavily interested in the use of both advanced biochemical assays to create and bioinformatic techniques to probe multi-'omic' datasets, which enable a broader and integrated view of biological phenomena. In the future, Luke aims to pursue a PhD in Immunology with an emphasis on systems biology and computational methods.
Shuya Kyu, MSc
Senior Research Specialist
Pathology Advanced Translational Research Unit
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Shuya earned a master's degree in Immunology from the University of Rochester, where his research focused on the role of microglia in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. He subsequently conducted research in the laboratory of Dr. F. Eun-Hyung Lee at Emory University, investigating antigen-specific antibodies secreted by circulating B cells during acute infection or in response to vaccinations. He joined the Younes Lab/PATRU in 2025. Research Interests. His current research focuses on utilizing flow cytometry to study the effects of gut-derived bacterial metabolites on T lymphocyte senescence.