Episode 91: Dr. Yane Valdez, Immunologist & Founder, ImmunoLatinXs

Join Vanessa, Best of the WWEST producer, for a chat with Dr. Yane Valdez, a woman of many hats. Hear about how this immunologist, mom, science communicator, and artist made her way to Canada from her home country of Peru and what spurred her on to become an immunologist. She also tells us about her work empowering Latin American communities with knowledge of immunology and her passion for mentorship.

(Please excuse any audio hiccups in this remotely recorded interview.)

Guest: Dr. Yane Valdez (LinkedIn)

Born in Perú, Dr. Valdez began her research under the supervision of Dr Gilman of John’s Hopkins and UPCH. Dr. Valdez led a research team investigating the molecular epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori bacteria, an inducer of gastric ulcers and cancer. She then completed her Master of Science with Dr. Townsend at the School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, studying fundamental questions on how T and B cells communicate to produce an effective immune response. Dr. Valdez did her doctoral studies in Dr. Finlay’s lab at UBC and revealed novel concepts of innate responses to the pathogen Salmonella, with important implications for human diseases diarrheal diseases, infectious colitis and IBD. After 5 years of post-doctoral work in BC she joined StemCell Technologies Inc. leading a team in Innate Immunology. She returned to academia and managed the Research Office at the UBC Faculty of Medicine.

She also volunteers for Immunology Without Borders and Women in STEM initiatives in Canada and Globally, as the scientific advisor of the Anti-NMDRA Encephalitis Foundation She is also a proud mother of two.