Lab Vision

Our understanding of how the body fights infections and responds to vaccines is shaped by the models we use for research. However, many of these models fail to capture the heterogeneity within the human population. Specifically, populations such as immunosuppressed individuals and people living with HIV are often underrepresented in these models and human studies. As a result, we have limited knowledge of the mechanisms driving altered disease progression in these groups, hindering our ability to develop effective vaccines for individuals with weakened immune systems. Our research aims to investigate viral pathogenesis and test vaccines in models of immunosuppression. Ultimately, we seek to: 1) improve clinical disease outcomes, and 2) enhance vaccines and therapies for infectious diseases in immunosuppressed individuals.