Irma Fernandez
Bio
Dr. Irma Fernandez grew up in Mexico and Los Angeles, CA, where she developed a love for learning and excelled in school. Initially interested in the humanities, her passion for science emerged during her time at the University of California, San Diego. As a Latina and first-generation college student she faced significant challenges but persevered to earn a degree in Chemistry. At Penn, Dr. Fernandez will continue her research on SIRT5, focusing on its role in regulating immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). She aims to explore the potential of a novel SIRT5 inhibitor combined with immunotherapy, expanding SIRT5’s utility as a drug target for cancer and other inflammatory diseases.
Dr. Fernandez gained valuable research experience in both academic and pharmaceutical settings, deepening her interest in scientific research through mentorship at the Salk Institute. Her journey in STEM motivated her to participate in programs such as LSAMP and SACNAS, and become a Ronald McNair Scholar. To further her research experience, Dr. Fernandez worked in the pharmaceutical industry, contributing to drug development for cancer and autoimmune diseases. As an HHMI Gilliam Fellow at Cornell University, she focused on mitochondrial SIRT5 and its role in breast cancer, establishing SIRT5 as a promising therapeutic target.
Postdoc Appointment
Department
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Penn Faculty Mentor
- Will Bailis Ph.D.
- Warren Pear Ph.D.
- Celeste Simon, Ph.D.
Education
Degrees
- 2022, Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University
- 2015, B.S., Pharmacological Chemistry, The University of California, San Diego
- 2015, B.A., Literatures of the World: English and Spanish, The University of California, San Diego
Disertation Title
Roles for Mitochondrial SIRT5 in Breast Cancer Cells and the Tumor Microenvironment
Research Advisors
- Hening Lin, Ph.D.
- Robert Weiss, Ph.D.