Research: My research focuses on enhancing NK cell-mediated immunotherapies for ovarian cancer by overcoming immune evasion and dysfunction. I study how the tumor microenvironment affects NK cell activity and investigate strategies to sustain their anti-tumor response. This includes developing targeted immunotherapies designed to improve NK cell activation and cytotoxicity against ovarian cancer.
Research: I study cardiac valve inflammation in the context of autoimmunity. Many autoimmune conditions, especially post-streptococcal autoimmune sequelae, put individuals at risk of cardiac valve inflammation especially on the left side of the heart. I am interested in studying the mechanism behind left vs. right side valve inflammation. We are currently investigating mechanosensing pathways in K/B.g7 mice to better understand what could be contributing to the sidedness of this inflammation.
Research: Apicomlpexan parasites, such as Cryptosporidium parvum and Toxoplasma gondii,
are a source of significant disease in humans and livestock. Presently, there is a
large gap in available treatments, especially for treating C. parvum infection in
children. My research is focused on exploring the effects of a naturally derived
compound, mensacarcin, against apicomplexan parasites, specifically
Cryptosporidium parvum and Toxoplasma gondii.
Research: Assessing the impairment of adaptive immunity following sepsis.
Publications:
Kim CY, Ding H, et. al. (2026). Distinct immune trajectories after severe trauma identify a Th17-biased immunophenotype in chronic critical illness. The Journal of Immunology, Volume 215, Issue 6. DOI: 10.1093/jimmun/vkag125. PMID:42343164
Research: Cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death in the United States, is primarily driven by atherosclerotic plaque formation. Atherosclerosis progression is
mediated by the deposition of LDL cholesterol in plaque-associated macrophages,
aka foamy or foam cells. Work from the Williams lab has shown that expression of
Research: My thesis work focuses on understanding studying Enterococcus faecalis biofilm mechanisms in the context of a prosthetic joint infection.
Publications:
Haeberle, A. L., Greenwood-Quaintance, K. E., Zar, S., Johnson, S. Patel, R., Willett, J, L, E. Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of Enterococcus faecalis isolates from periprosthetic joint infections. Microbiology Spectrum. e00565-24 (2024) DOI:10.1128/spectrum.00565-24.
Research: I am interested in arenaviral innate immune antagonism and its relationship to pathogenesis. My project uses a combination of bioinformatic and in vitro techniques to investigate the mechanisms of immune modulation and infectious virus production by arenaviral nucleoproteins (NP). This research highlights the significance of NP as a potential antiviral therapeutic target against arenaviral pathogens, such as Junin virus (JUNV) and Lassa virus (LASV).
