Immunology and Infectious Disease
Our scientists study the immune system’s structure, function, and responses to pathogens and investigate microorganisms causing illness, transmission mechanisms, and treatment strategies. This research advances our understanding of host-pathogen interactions, emerging infectious threats and immune disorders.
Members
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Dr. Day studies the mechanisms that control normal and pathogenic functions of G quadruplex DNA, a non-canonical DNA structure that forms readily in guanine-rich sequences, with the goal of designing therapeutic strategies for human disease.
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The Geisinger Lab investigates the molecular basis of antibiotic resistance and disease development in infections with hospital-acquired pathogens.
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Dr. Okeke investigates the molecular mechanisms associated with the inflammatory response of innate immune cells with a focus on neutrophils and macrophages.
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The Saavedra Lab investigates host-microbe interactions in health and disease through an immunology and cell biology lens.
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Dr. Sitkovsky’s lab develops novel cancer prevention and immunotherapy strategies to eliminate the hypoxia-adenosinergic mechanism that protects tumors by inhibiting anti-tumor T killer cells.
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The Takacs Lab studies the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, its tick vector, and their interactions through a set of genetic, imaging, and biochemical approaches.
Interested in working with us?
In the news
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New Northeastern lab plumbs the mysteries of the ticks and bacteria that cause Lyme
Constantin Takacs of Northeastern loves to study black-legged deer ticks and Borrelia burgdorferi, which is good news for everybody else -
This superbug dodges antibiotics. He’s finding a way to kill it.
Edward Geisinger, assistant professor of Biology at Northeastern, studies bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii that frequently infects hospital patients, and is resistant to antibiotics.