Tsoi Ying “Michelle” Lai
Associate ResearcherMichelle is one of our Associate Researchers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Science from CUNY Hunter College.
Michelle’s previous research focused on the development of Newcastle disease virus-based SARS-CoV-2 variant vaccines and universal influenza vaccine platforms, as well as the evaluation of vaccine-induced immune responses in animal models for preclinical studies. In the Palacios Lab, she contributes to research efforts focused on emerging pathogens, viral immunology, and experimental systems that support the lab’s broader work in infectious disease preparedness.
Outside the lab, Michelle enjoys traveling, hiking, snowboarding, and trying new cuisine.