Denise Kirschner

Denise Kirschner is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.  She serves as founding co-director of the Center for Systems Biology, is affiliated with both the Center for the Study of Complex Systems and  the Center for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics. Her research involves the modeling of immunological responses in infectious diseases, focusing on questions related to host-pathogen interactions. The pathogens she studies include both bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and HIV-1. Such pathogens have evolved strategies to evade or circumvent the host-immune response and the lab’s goal is to understand the complex dynamics involved and develop optimal treatment and vaccine strategies.