My work is focused on investigating the mechanisms regulating dysfunctional immune responses following an allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant. My aim is to develop selective and novel strategies that abrogate graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) while preventing disease relapse.

The key directions of research in my laboratory include exploring the role of microRNAs in GVHD pathogenesis, especially miR155, with a new strategy to use CRISPR/Cas9 to edit the miR155 locus in primary T cells as a translational approach. My team and I are also targeting specific oncoproteins in T cells that play a pathogenic role in T cell mediated inflammation, with the added benefit of simultaneously targeting these proteins in malignant cells — for example, PRMT5 enzyme and BET domain containing proteins. In addition, we are investing the role of endothelial cells in GVHD pathogenesis.

My research is supported by an NCI R01 grant for preclinical and early clinical translation of BET inhibition in GVHD. I also received an American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant for uncovering the role of PRMT5 in GVHD, as well as an NHLBI R01 grant to support research on endothelial cells in post-transplant complications. I have co-authored dozens of articles published in peer-reviewed journals including Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Blood Advances, the Journal of Clinical Investigation and Leukemia & Lymphoma.

I have been honored to receive multiple awards for my efforts, including the Paul Calabresi Career Development Award from The James and a Junior Faculty Award from the Pelotonia Intramural Research Program. I was also selected for the Careers in Immunology Fellowship program from the American Association of Immunologists.