Dr. Hernán Peñaloza

Young Investigator, Universidad Católica.

Bachelor in Biological Sciences from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (2009-2013). Between 2014 and 2018, he pursued a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology under the supervision of Dr. Susan Bueno at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. His doctoral studies, coupled with a doctoral internship at Dr. Alice Prince’s laboratory at Columbia University (USA), enabled him to describe the immunomodulatory role of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 during lung infections caused by pathogenic bacteria.

From August 2018 to March 2022, he completed his first postdoctoral training at the University of Pittsburgh (USA) under the supervision of Dr. Janet Lee, focusing on studying mechanisms involved in lung damage control during respiratory infections caused by clinically relevant bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. In 2022, he joined the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile as a postdoctoral researcher to focus on studying the immune response induced by vaccines against globally relevant viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2 in collaboration with several faculties of the School of Biological Sciences such as Dr Alexis Kalergis, Dr Pablo González and Dr Susan Bueno.

In 2024, Dr. Peñaloza established himself as an independent researcher at the Schools of Biological Sciences and Medicine at Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. His studies are focused on understanding the dynamic balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory factors that determine an efficient immune response during respiratory infections caused by clinically relevant pathogenic bacteria.