Name: Jeniffer Hernandez
Hometown: All of southern California is my hometown because I have lived in LA, Orange County, San Bernardino and San Diego.
Hobbies: I like to find fun activities to do with my daughter on the weekends, traveling and exploring.
What do you study? I study how T cells in our bodies contribute to disease. T cells are like soldiers of the immune system that help our body eliminate bacteria or viruses to keep us healthy. Sometimes T cells see parts of our own body as foreign and attacks them in what is called an “autoimmune response.” In the case of the disease I study, multiple sclerosis, T cells attack the myelin tissue that surrounds the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
Why is it important? There are many people around the world suffering from autoimmune diseases. By studying how T cells cause autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, we will be able to learn how to stop them before they cause harm. Studying this process will help us develop medicine to help find cures for people suffering from autoimmune diseases.
What do you like about being a scientist? As a scientist I love knowing that my research may contribute to finding a cure for a disease. I also like that I get to discover how something works before anybody else does. I love traveling and as a scientist I have had the opportunity to present my research nationally and internationally.
This animation shows how T cells get from the bloodstream to the brain, where they mistakenly think that nerve cells are “the enemy”, and attack them. This causes multiple sclerosis.