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Nicholas Adams, PhD
Nicholas Adams, PhD
Principal Investigator
Dr. Nicholas (Nick) Adams is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology (MBI) and an Associate Member in the Institute for Immunological Sciences at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Nick graduated summa cum laude from Yale University with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. Nick completed his Ph.D. with Dr. Joseph Sun at the Gerstner Sloan Kettering (GSK) Graduate School as part of the Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program. His thesis research yielded fundamental insights into the molecular mechanisms governing the antiviral response of natural killer cells.
For his postdoctoral training, Nick joined the lab of Dr. Boris Reizis at New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine and later the University of Chicago, where he studied the transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of dendritic cell (DC) development and function. There he identified multi-level chromatin regulation at the type I interferon (IFN-I) locus as an essential, cell type-specific adaptation for the potent IFN-I response of plasmacytoid DCs. In parallel, Nick uncovered the transcription factor Etv3 as a specific regulator of DC maturation and tolerogenic function in the steady state. Nick’s research interests are grounded in understanding the molecular regulation and mechanisms of DC-mediated immune tolerance and function.
Over the course of his training, Nick’s research has been supported by the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Fellowship Award, the NYU Bernard Levine Program for Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Immunology, the NIH/NIAID F30 Ruth L. Kirschstein Individual Predoctoral National Research Service Award, and the GSK Grayer Fellowship. Nick’s research at Rochester is supported by an NIH/NIAID K22 Career Transition Award.
Hongkui Xiao, PhD
Hongkui Xiao, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Xiao completed his Ph.D. in Immunology in the Katharina Lahl lab at the Technical University of Denmark, where his doctoral research focused on the role of transcription factor Bcl6 in dendritic cell development and function.
After his Ph.D., he conducted research at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and at Washington University in St. Louis, focusing on immune regulation and dendritic cells in tumor models.
Xiao joined the Adams lab in July 2026.
Kailey Kipping
Kailey Kipping
PhD Student
Kailey is a PhD Student in the Immunology, Microbiology, and Virology (IMV) Program. Kailey earned her B.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science from Stony Brook University. Shortly after graduating, she passed the national board examination and became a board-certified, New York State-licensed Clinical Laboratory Technologist. Her past research at the Trudeau Institute focused on developing a universal influenza vaccine. Outside of the lab, Kailey enjoys baking, spending time at the gym, and exploring new recipes.
Kailey joined the Adams lab in July 2026.
Morgan Levine
Morgan Levine
Research Specialist
Morgan is a Rochester native who recently graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Environmental Biology. Her past research experience focused on antibiotic-producing Actinomycetes, microbial genetics, and host–pathogen interactions. Outside the lab, Morgan is active in science outreach initiatives and enjoys competing in triathlons.
Morgan joined the Adams lab in February 2026.
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