Alumni Profiles Series: Shannon Esher Righi

Shannon Esher Righi, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at Tulane University, where her lab studies the dynamic interactions between fungi and the immune system, with a particular focus on how fungi direct specific immune responses. She earned her bachelor’s degrees in biology and biochemistry from Virginia Tech before completing her Ph.D. in the Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology (MGM) at Duke University. At Duke, she trained in the lab of Dr. J. Andrew Alspaugh, where she studied Cryptococcus and developed a deep interest in fungal genetics and immunology. She later completed postdoctoral training with Dr. Mairi Noverr at Tulane University, where she expanded her focus into fungal immunology before launching her independent research program.

How did you first become interested in pursuing a Ph.D.?

When I started college, I thought I wanted to go to medical school. I was interested in medicine, and I did not know anyone with a Ph.D., so I did not really know graduate school was an option.

That changed after I joined Dr. Florian Schubot’s research lab at Virginia Tech through the Fralin Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship. At first, I mostly joined because I thought it would help me get into medical school, but I quickly realized that I genuinely enjoyed working in the lab. A summer fellowship that allowed me to do research full time helped me decide to pursue graduate school instead.

What brought you to Duke and MGM?

I knew I wanted to study microbiology based on my undergraduate research and coursework in microbial genetics, but I was still very interested in medicine and wanted to be in an environment where the science felt connected to human health. That drew me to microbiology graduate programs associated with strong medical schools, including Duke and MGM.

Once I arrived at Duke, I was still figuring out exactly what kind of science I wanted to pursue, so I chose rotations mostly based on mentors and lab environments. That is how I ended up in the Alspaugh Lab. I felt drawn to Andy and to the people in the lab almost immediately. At the time, I knew very little about fungi or fungal pathogens, but I knew I liked the environment. The mentorship and community came first, and the science followed from there.

What are some memories from Duke and MGM that still stand out to you?

I loved my time at Duke and in MGM. It was one of the highlights of my life and career.

What stands out most is the sense of community. Graduate school is a unique time because you are surrounded by people who are passionate about science and going through the same stage of life with you. MGM felt small and close-knit, and many people in my cohort shared interests both inside and outside the lab. It was special to be surrounded by people who enjoyed thinking about similar questions and building that experience together.

When did you decide you wanted to pursue an academic career?

The first turning point was realizing that graduate school was an option. The second was becoming part of the broader medical mycology community during my Ph.D.

At Duke, I became connected to that field through Andy’s lab and the strong medical mycology presence here, as well as through conferences and the molecular mycology course at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole. That course was especially important for me. I loved the community, I loved academic science, and I loved being around people who were excited about the same kinds of questions as me.

By the time I finished my Ph.D., I knew I wanted to have my own lab. I also loved the environment Andy had created, and I wanted to build that kind of supportive community for my own trainees one day.

What was challenging about moving from graduate student to postdoc to PI?

One of the biggest challenges after graduate school was that the community changed. As a graduate student, you have a cohort of people moving through the same milestones together. As a postdoc, and then as a PI, that structure is not always there in the same way, which can feel isolating.

Becoming a PI also meant learning many things I was not explicitly trained to do as a graduate student. As a PI, you mentor students, manage people and budgets, write grants, and teach others how to write papers. I knew how to write a paper but teaching someone else how to write one requires a different way of thinking.

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How have you learned those skills?

Leadership and mentorship courses have been helpful, but one of the most important things I have done is create community for myself.

That has meant staying connected with mentors while also finding peer mentors. I have made valuable connections with other junior faculty at my same level through programs such as the mBio Early Career Editorial Board. Additionally, I am close with some of Andy’s previous graduate students who now also have their own labs, and they have been a great resource because they are only a few steps ahead of me. They have recently done many of the things I am trying to navigate now.

Mentors are essential, but peer mentors are especially valuable because they can give timely, practical advice about what the next step looks like.

What is one piece of advice that has stayed with you?

One piece of advice I think about often is not to compare yourself to someone who is ten steps ahead of you.

Impostor syndrome is very real in academia, and I still experience it. But it is not helpful to compare yourself to a full professor when you are an assistant professor, or even an assistant professor when you are still a graduate student. It is more useful to look to people who are one step ahead, because that is the next stage you are working toward. That perspective makes the path feel more manageable and helps reduce some of the pressure.

How do you think about work-life balance?

Work-life balance is very important to me, and it is something I try to model for the people in my lab.

In academia, your work and your time are largely your own. That can be a good thing, but it also means you must decide how to use that time. I do not think you need to work every weekend to be productive, but I do think you need to be focused and efficient when you are working. The flip side is that your success is also your own, so ultimately you get out of this career what you put into it.

Since becoming a PI and now having two young children, my work-life balance is partly imposed on me. When I go home, my focus shifts to my family, so I have had to become more intentional with the time I have for work. That has made me more efficient, and I think that lesson applies even if you do not have children.

Burnout is real, and stepping away from work also helps me come back with more focus. At the same time, scientists are often still thinking about science outside the lab. Some of my best ideas still come in the shower. The key is finding the balance between staying passionate and taking much needed breaks.

What advice would you give current graduate students, especially those interested in academia?

Find people who will support you. That includes mentors and PIs, but it also includes peer mentors and a cohort of people who understand what you are working toward. You cannot do it all by yourself, and you should not have to.

I would also tell graduate students to enjoy the time they have at Duke and in MGM. Graduate school is a unique period, and even if you stay in academia, it will not be the same after you move on. Take advantage of being surrounded by smart, excited, and talented people who are moving through that experience with you.

AUTHOR

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Marco Gontijo, M.S.

Ph.D. candidate, Molecular Genetics & Microbiology

Marco Gontijo is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology at Duke University, where he studies host–pathogen interactions in tuberculosis in the Smith Lab. His research focuses on how Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell wall lipids influence immune responses, inflammation, and bacterial fitness during infection. In addition to his research, he is passionate about teaching, mentoring, and helping build community among graduate students. Outside the lab, he enjoys staying active through hiking and outside walks, as well as cooking, and reading scientific fiction books.