Julia Elise Cabral

Mechanistic immunologist and structural biologist with expertise in protein biochemistry, assay development, DNA–protein interactions, and inflammasome signaling. Proven ability to lead independent research from conceptualization to publication, integrating structural modeling, biochemical optimization, and immune cell assays. Recognized through competitive fellowships (Immunology T32), research awards, and multiple first-author manuscripts. Committed to advancing fundamental molecular mechanisms toward therapeutic applications.

• 2020 Deans Honor List, UC Irvine (GPA: 3.675)
• 2022 Deans Honor List, UC Irvine (GPA: 3.85)
• 2022 Deans Honor List, UC Irvine (GPA: 3.862)
• Fall 2022 UROP 2022 Group Research Experience Fellowship
• Fall 2022 UROP 2022 Individual Research Experience Fellowship
• Spring 2023 Undergraduate Research Opportunities (UROP)
• Travel and Publication Award, UC Irvine,
• 2023 Deans Honor List, UC Irvine (GPA: 4.0)
• 2024 Deans Honor List, UC Irvine (GPA: 4.0)
• 2024 Gale "Morrie" Granger Endowment Award – Graduate Honors Award
• 2024 – 2025 Immunology T32 Training Grant
• 2024 AAI Young Investigator Award – Top 5 Poster
• 2025 William D. Redfield Graduate Fellowship Award
• 2025 Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Retreat, University of California Irvine – Top 4 Poster
• 2025 – 2026 Immunology T32 Training Grant
• 2025 UCI Travel Award

• Lackner, A.; Leonidas, L.; Cabral, J.E.; Macapagal, A.; Lee, H.; Xu, H.; Qiu, Y.; Campos, M.; Onyuru, J.; Kulkarni, S.; Albrecht, L.V.; Hoffman, H.M.; McNulty, R. TH5487 specifically targets NLRP3 in FCAS patients. 2025. Submitted.
• Cabral, J.E.; Lackner, A.; Jiang, W.; Lin, S.; Zhou, H.; Wu, A.; Pham, M.A.; Chi, F.; McNulty, R. NLRP10 Engages Oxidized DNA through a Schiff-Base Mechanism and Dissociates from NLRP3 upon Inflammasome Activation. Communications Biology. 2025. Accepted
• Campos, M.; Nguyen, T.S.; Kong, X.; Hanse, E.A.; Franco, C.N.; Seabrook, L.J.; Yang, Y.; Cabral, J.E.; Watson, R.L.; Zhou, M.; McNulty, R.; Seldin, M.M.; Sumigray, K.; Kong, M.; Yokomori, K.; Albrecht, L.V. Cell Fate Decisions are controlled by lysosomal rewiring of nutrient utilization. Nature Metabolism. 2025.
• Cabral, J.E.; Wu, A.; Zhou, H.; Pham, M.A.; Lin, S.; McNulty, R. Targeting NLRP3 Inflammasome for Therapy in Inflammatory Diseases. Trends in Pharmaceutical Sciences – Cell (Invited Review), 2025.
• Cabral, J.E.; Qiu, Y.; Heck, A.J; McNulty, R. Differential Large and Small Terminase Subunit Assembly Mediate Bacteriophage P22 Genome Packaging. Pathogens. 2024
• Lackner, A., Cabral, J.E.; Qui, Y; Zhou, H; Leonidas, L.A; Pham, M.A; Macapagal, A; Armanus, E; Lin, S. McNulty, R; iScience. 2024
• Cabral, A.; Cabral, J.E.; Wang, A.; Zhang Y.; Liang H.; Nikbakht D.; Corona L.; Hoffman H.; McNulty R. Characterization of a direct ligand interaction that mediates NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Communications Biology. 2023
• Cabral, A.; Cabral, J.E.; McNulty, R. ‘Cryo-EM for Small Molecules.’ Current Protocols. 2022

• 8 undergraduates

- Martin Zhou (B.S.)

- Minh Anh Pham (B.S.)

- Sophia Lin (B.S.)

- Aliyah Boykins (B.S.)

- Courtney Desmos

- Anna Wu (B.S.)

- Chaya Singh

-Feixuan Chi (B.S.)

• 1 high school student

• 05/2025 Graduate Panelist, PhD interest for undergraduates, University of California Irvine
• 11/2024 Biophysical Society Graduate Student Panelist
• Spring 2023 LA: Structural Biology M133/211, University of California Irvine
• Wntr 2023 LA: Biochemistry 98, University of California Irvine
• Fall 2021 LA: On Thin Ice ESS 21, University of California Irvine
• 2020 – 2021 Alzheimer’s Buddies University of California Irvine
• Weekly one-on-one meetings with a resident in a long-term care facility diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Developed interactive ways to engage and form a friendship with the same individual for the entirety of the program
• 2017 – 2019 Memorial Medical Center, Modesto CA
• Volunteered at a large hospital. Duties included greeting, directing, and discharging patients, answering telephone calls, and providing information and directions to hospital visitors. Later was volunteer director, helping organize the schedules and shifts of others.

• 2/2023 Cellular Mol. Biology Recruitment, University of California Irvine – Poster Presented
• 2/2023 Biophysical Society Conference, San Diego CA – Attended
• 6/2023 Undergraduate Research 199 – Poster Presented
• 12/2023 Immunology Symposium, University of California Irvine – Poster Presented
• 12/2023 International Symposium on Advanced Microscopy and Spectroscopy – Attended
• 2/2024 Biophysical Society Conference, Philadelphia – Poster Presented
• 3/2024 Cellular Mol. Biology Recruitment, University of California Irvine – Poster Presented
• 11/2024 Chao Family Comprehensive Research Center Scientific Retreat- Attended
• 02/2025 Biophysical Society Conference, Los Angeles CA – Poster Presented
• 02/2025 Biophysical Society Conference, San Diego CA – Platform speaker
• 02/2025 Cellular Mol. Biology Recruitment, University of California Irvine – Presented
• 05/2025 Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Retreat, University of California Irvine – Presented
• 10/2025 La Jolla Immunology Conference (Sulk) – Presented
• 11/2025 Institute for Immunology, University of California Irvine - Platform Speaker