Carson Leavitt

Carson Leavitt is a Research Assistant in the Shtanko Laboratory. He moved to Texas and joined Texas Biomedical Research Institute in 2022. His current research involves understanding macrophage migration during Ebola virus infection. In the lab, he performs a variety of assays including microscopy, immunohistochemistry, PCR, gel electrophoresis, western blot, PBMC isolation, cytotoxicity and antiviral screening, and cell culture. Alongside this, he develops and optimizes novel assays for the lab, such as laser capture microdissection and live-cell microscopy. He is also trained to work in the BSL3 laboratory, where he tests antivirals against SARS-CoV-2.

Carson completed his undergraduate degree in Biology at Brigham Young University in 2021. During college, he studied the impacts of invasive species on the ecological niches of various fish species in Lake Powell. For his future plans, he hopes to attend medical school. In his free time, Carson’s hobbies include fishing, 3D printing, and spending time with his pets.