Research Interests:
Although my initial training was in tumor immunology, the focus of my research for more than 20 years has been the changes in immune response with increasing age. Utilizing both mouse models and human samples, we have focused on the immune response to viruses: control of primary virus infections in mice and protection from influenza disease after vaccination of humans. Due to the importance of CD8 T cell response in virus infections, most of our work includes CD8 T cells. We consistently demonstrate both an age-associated decrease and delay in response to virus using three different viruses, two strains of mice and humans. While previous studies focused on intrinsic changes in the CD8 T cells, more recently the role of extrinsic factors (eg. dendritic cells, Treg, cytokine production) are being explored.
Honors and Awards (Recent)
- 2012: Association for Women in Science: Elizabeth W. Bingham Mentoring Award
- 2009: Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
- 2001: Member, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
- 2000: Research Award, Drexel University
- 2000 - 2001: ELAM Fellow
Research Activities (Recent)
Research Grants as Principal Investigator
NIH R21 AGO41510
Total Direct Costs:
Years of Award:
Immunity of aged mice after lifelong repeated live or killed influenza vaccines
$424,875
September 2011 - July 2013
NIH 1R43 A1085783-01 A1
Total Direct Costs:
Years of Award:
Novel Protein Adjuvant for Flu Vaccine
$138,865
July 2010 - June 2012
NIH R01 AG14913
Total Direct Costs:
Years of Award:
Persistent Virus Infection in Aged Mice
$2,463,147
April 1998 - March 2010
NIH R01 AG18641
Total Direct Costs:
Years of Award:
T Cell Response of Elderly to Influenza Immunization
$1,171,739
September 2000 - June 2004