Host-Pathogen Interactions

Research Interests: Dr. Penn’s research focuses on understanding the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We use cutting-edge techniques including quantitative mass-spectrometry and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to probe the interaction between M. tuberculosis and its host.

Research Interests: Cancer immunotherapy, viral immunology, preclinical modeling.

Research Interests: T cell responses to Salmonella and Chlamydia

Research Interests: Our lab is studying the consequences of evolutionary arms races between viruses and their hosts. We are especially interested in how the interaction between viruses, and the innate immune system of their hosts influences the host range and virulence of viruses.

Research Interests: Focusing on how bidirectional communication between the nervous and immune system alters immune outcomes in gut and lung.

Research Interests: My lab focuses mainly on mucosal immunity in chronic HIV infection, with an emphasis on the gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts. Topics of interest include tissue-resident T-cells, regulatory T-cells (Treg), mucosa-associated invariant T-cells (MAIT) and the contributions of these cell types to host defense against mucosal pathogens.

Research Interests: My lab studies the development of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. We are interested in understanding the mechanisms of communication between the gut and brain, including the specific neuro, immune, and endocrine pathways involved.