Madison Blanton

I’m a PhD candidate in the lab of Dr. Ilhem Messaoudi. I joined Dr. Messaoudi's lab with a passion for understanding how the immune system shapes health and disease. My research focuses on the role of monocytes and tissue-resident macrophages in alcohol-induced organ damage and the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD). I aim to understand how periods of short-term heavy alcohol consumption, abstinence, and post-abstinence drinking affect these cells. To explore the molecular mechanisms behind these changes, I am utilizing a combination of advanced molecular, cellular, and computational approaches.