• American Association of Immunologists
• American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Association for Women in Science
• Association for Women in Science Philadelphia (President, 2023-2024)

Dr. Roshell Muir is an infectious disease immunologist and cell biologist with expertise in systems immunology studies that straddle the fields of basic science and applied clinical research. She has authored many publications in her field, with a focus on how specialized cell subsets in the follicles can be targeted for novel vaccines against HIV and other viral infections. Dr. Muir is also a senior level expert in flow cytometry and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) with 15 years’ experience. She has significant knowledge of innate and adaptive immune cell biology and phenotyping, in vitro functional assays, ex vivo analysis of cells from mouse, human and non-human primate (NHP) models, and sorting of multiple immune populations for downstream assays and analyses, which is a significant component of her research methodology.

In addition to her scientific pursuits, Dr. Muir also conducts research on gender, racial and ethnic disparities in science and medicine and has published several articles on well-being, equality of opportunities for underrepresented groups in academic medicine, and equality of patient access to clinical trials.

Dr. Muir’s biomedical research in immunology and infectious diseases focuses on germinal centers (GC) in health, disease and vaccination. Dr. Muir’s recent work examines how cell subsets of the GC such as T follicular helper cells and GC B cells are known to be dysregulated in acute and chronic infections. While protective responses during vaccination are the end goal, many studies still reveal that these responses are short-lived. Dr. Muir’s research also looks at the role of multiple adjuvant candidates that aim to improve vaccine responses by enhancing the innate immune and Tfh-B cell program, such as molecules that activate the STING pathway and the enzyme adenosine deaminase-1 (ADA-1).

Dr. Muir’s research in health equity focuses on factors that contribute to inequities we see in medicine and science. Dr. Muir’s major interests lie in identifying causes of low recruitment and retention of a diverse healthcare and scientific workforce and highlighting the impact of low representation of diverse patient populations in clinical trials, with some of her work already published in Cell, Transfusion Apheresis Science and Journal of Clinical Anesthesiology.

“Get to Know... Roshell Muir, PhD, Director, Office of Urban Health Equity, Education and Research”
Pulse (Summer 2023)

“Representation of Diverse Populations in Blood Donations and Transfusions”
Public Health Post (August 24, 2023)

“Black Blood Donors: 3 Ways Your Blood Can Save a Life”
BlackDoctor+org (February 27th, 2023)

“Several Demographic Groups Underrepresented in Clinical Trials of Blood Donation, Blood Transfusion”
Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies News and Resources (February 24, 2023)

See all of Dr. Muir’s publications in PubMed.

Selected Publications

“Using the power of innate immunoprofiling to understand vaccine design, infection, and immunity”
Connors J, Cusimano G, Mege N, Woloszczuk K, Konopka E, Bell M, Joyner D, Marcy J, Tardif V, Kutzler MA, Muir R, Haddad EK
Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2023 Dec 15;19(3):2267295

“Schistosoma mansoni infection alters the host pre-vaccination environment resulting in blunted Hepatitis B vaccination immune responses”
Muir R, Metcalf T, Fourati S, Bartsch Y, Kyosiimire-Lugemwa J, Canderan G, Alter G, Muyanja E, Okech B, Namatovu T, Namara I, Namuniina A, Ssetaala A, Mpendo J, Nanvubya A, Kitandwe PK, Bagaya BS, Kiwanuka N, Nassuna J, Biribawa VM, Elliott AM, de Dood CJ, Senyonga W, Balungi P, Kaleebu P, Mayanja Y, Odongo M, Connors J, Fast P, Price MA, Corstjens PLAM, van Dam GJ, Kamali A, Sekaly RP, Haddad EK
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2023 Jul 5;17(7):e0011089

“A follicular regulatory Innate Lymphoid Cell population impairs interactions between germinal center Tfh and B cells”
O'Connor MH, Muir R, Chakhtoura M, Fang M, Moysi E, Moir S, Carey AJ, Terk A, Nichols CN, Metcalf T, Petrovas C, Cameron MJ, Tardif V, Haddad EK
Communications Biology. 2021; 4(1):563

“Plasmacytoid dendritic cells sense HIV replication before detectable viremia following treatment interruption”
Mitchell JL, Takata H, Muir R, Colby DJ, Kroon E, Crowell TA, Sacdalan C, Pinyakorn S, Puttamaswin S, Benjapornpong K, Trichavaroj R, Tressler RL, Fox L, Bolton DL, Maldarelli F, Lewin SR, Haddad EK, Phanuphak P, Robb ML, Michael NL, de Souza M, Phanuphak N, Ananworanich J, Trautmann L, on behalf of the RV397, RV411, SEARCH019 and RV254 Study Groups
J. Clin. Invest. 2020; 130(6):2845-2858

“Adenosine DeAminase-1 Delineates Human Follicular Helper T cell Function and is altered with HIV”
Tardif V, Muir R, Cubas R, Chakhtoura M, Wilkinson P, Metcalf T, Herro R, and Haddad EK
Nat. Commun. 2019; 10(1):823

“Altered Memory Circulating T Follicular Helper-B cell Interaction in Early acute HIV Infection”
Muir R, Metcalf T, Tardif V, Takata H, Phanuphak N, Kroon E, Colby DJ, Trichavaroj R, Valcour V, Robb ML, Michael NL, Ananworanich J, Trautmann L, Haddad EK; RV254/SEARCH010 RV304/SEARCH 013 Study Groups
PLoS Pathog. 2016; 12(7): e1005777

“Examining participant representation by sex, race, ethnicity and age in United States blood donation and blood transfusion clinical trials”
Muir R, Jacobs JW, Flores LE, Marshall AL, Ansari ES, Booth GS, Silver JK
Transfus Apher Sci. 2023 Feb 10:103653. Epub ahead of print.

“Organizations in science and medicine must hold each other accountable for discriminatory practices”
Silver JK, Booth GS, Chatterjee A, Crusto CA, El-Sayed N, Fleming TK, Gavini N, Golden SH, Jacobs JW, Jagsi R, Larson AR, Liu HY, Lorello GR, Muir R, Shim RS, Spector ND, Stanford FC, Verduzco-Gutierrez M, Zafonte RD
Cell. 2022 Aug 18;185(17):3073-3078

“Analysis of Age, Race, Ethnicity, and Sex of Participants in Clinical Trials Focused on Eating Disorders”
Flores LE, Muir R, Weeks I, Burton Murray H, Silver JK
JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Feb 1;5(2)

“A field on fire: Why has there been so much attention focused on burnout among anesthesiologists?”
Muir R, Flores LE, Padilla KE, Salinas M, Silver EM, Mariano ER
J Clin Anesth. 2021 Oct; 73:110356

“My Evolution: Finding passion in a STEM career”
Speaker, Monell Science Apprenticeship Program. Monell Chemical Senses Center. Philadelphia, Pa., July 2023

“The importance of the Mentor-Mentee relationship in Academic Medicine”
Speaker, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai AMWA Chapter Seminar, September 2023

“How to Publish Impactful Editorials, Perspectives and Opinion Articles,” (Adaira Landry, MD); “Developing a Successful Mentoring Program” (Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, MD)
Session Moderator, Career Advancement and Leadership Skills for Women in Healthcare CME course, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., November 2023