Professor
Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Department, School of Public Health
RESEARCH OVERVIEW
The overarching goal of our research is to uncover the mechanisms mediating sex differences and the effects of pregnancy on immune responses to microbial infection and vaccination. Our data point to sex steroids signaling through sex steroid receptors as critical pathways modulating immune responses to infection and vaccination. We work with microbes, including influenza, Zika, and SARS-CoV-2 viruses as well as TB and malaria. Our group works with human samples, animal models, and cell culture systems. Trainees learn state-of-the-art immunological, microbiological, and genetic methods along with experimental design, statistical analyses, writing, and presentation skills.
Selected Publications
Creisher PS, Perry JL, Zhong W, Lei J, Mulka KR, Ryan WH, Zhou R, Akin EH, Liu A, Mitzner W, Burd I, Pekosz A, Klein SL. Adverse outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant mice are gestational age-dependent and resolve with antiviral treatment. Journal of Clinical Investigations, 2023.
Ursin RL, Dhakal S, Liu H, Jayaraman S, Park HS, Powell HR, Sherer ML, Littlefield KE, Fink AL, Ma Z, Mueller AL, Chen AP, Seddu K, Woldetsadik YA, Gearhart PJ, Larman HB, Maul RW, Pekosz A, Klein SL. Greater Breadth of Vaccine-Induced Immunity in Females than Males Is Mediated by Increased Antibody Diversity in Germinal Center B Cells. mBio, 2022.
Shapiro JR, Sitaras I, Park HS, Aytenfisu TY, Caputo C, Li M, Lee J, Johnston TS, Li H, Wouters C, Hauk P, Jacobsen H, Li Y, Abrams E, Yoon S, Kocot AJ, Yang T, Huang Y, Cramer SM, Betenbaugh MJ, Debes AK, Morgan R, Milstone AM, Karaba AH, Pekosz A, Leng SX, Klein SL. Association of Frailty, Age, and Biological Sex With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Messenger RNA Vaccine-Induced Immunity in Older Adults. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2022.
Klein SL, Pekosz A, Park HS, Ursin RL, Shapiro JR, Benner SE, Littlefield K, Kumar S, Naik HM, Betenbaugh M, Shrestha R, Wu AA, Hughes RM, Burgess I, Caturegli P, Laeyendecker O, Quinn TC, Sullivan DJ, Shoham S, Redd AD, Bloch EM, Casadevall A, Tobian AAR. Sex, age, and hospitalization drive antibody responses in a COVID-19 convalescent plasma donor population. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2020.
Potluri T, Fink AL, Sylvia KE, Dhakal S, Vermillion MS, Vom Steeg L, Deshpande S, Narasimhan H, Klein SL. Age-associated changes in the impact of sex steroids on influenza vaccine responses in males and females. NPJ Vaccines, 2019.
Learn More
NCBI Bibliography | Faculty Profile | Google Scholar | LinkedIn