People
The Klein lab believes in the power of equity, justice, and individual expression.
Our lab has a rich history of welcoming scientists from diverse backgrounds regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation and will continue to foster a safe and collaborative working environment. We are committed to the ongoing critical assessment of our role in perpetuating the inaccessibility of academia and will take necessary steps to change the academic landscape and promote diversity.
Current
Sabra L. Klein, PhD
–
Professor and Lab Head
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Dr. Klein’s primary appointment is in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, with joint appointments in the Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and International Health, at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Department of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She also participates in the Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program and Immunology Graduate Program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She is an expert on sex and gender differences in immune responses and susceptibility to infection and currently has over 150 peer-reviewed publications, authored several book chapters, and edited three books on the broad topics of sex differences in response to infection and treatments for infectious diseases. During the 2009 influenza pandemic, she was commissioned by the WHO to evaluate and publish a report on the impact of sex, gender, and pregnancy on the outcome of influenza virus infection. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Klein wrote commentaries for several journals and was interviewed by several major news media outlets about male-biased disease outcomes. She is PI of the Johns Hopkins Specialized Center for Research Excellence (SCORE) in sex and age differences in immunity to influenza (SADII), Co-PI of the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Serology Center of Excellence, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Women’s Health, Sex, and Gender Research, MPI for the Johns Hopkins Building Interdisciplinary Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH), and a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and American Academy for the Advancement of Science.
Han-Sol Park, PhD
– Research Associate, Immune Response Core Manager
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Dr. Park received her Ph.D. and M.S. in medical science from University of Ulsan, Seoul, South Korea. She holds a B.S. from Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea. Dr. Park joined as a research associate in Dr. Klein’s lab in 2019. She manages the centralized immune response core for the Johns Hopkins Specialized Center of Research Excellence in Sex Differences and the serology cores for the Johns Hopkins Center of Excellence in Influenza Research and Surveillance and the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Studies. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Park has developed a sensitive ELISA to detect COVID-19 antibodies in human convalescent plasma. Her expert knowledge and skill in flow cytometry and serology assays have been vital for both COVID-19 and influenza vaccine projects. Prior to joining Dr. Klein, Dr. Park worked as a research fellow (2016 -2019) with Dr. Patricia Gearhart (NIA, NIH) exmining specific B cell populations under different immunological and inflammatory disease models. Dr. Park was also a visiting fellow (2014 – 2016) at Dr. Li Lin’s lab (NIA, NIH) where she investigated intracellular signaling mechanisms involving membrane receptor-ligand interaction.
Patrick Shea, MSPH – SADII-SCORE Research Program Coordinator
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Patrick obtained his BS in Microbiology from the University of Minnesota, where he gained experience working in a virology lab. While he enjoyed life at the bench, he found he wanted to get more into the data side of public health. He obtained his MSPH in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control from the International Health Department at JHSPH, with several months spent in Lusaka, Zambia working on studies focused on the delivery of Oral Cholera vaccine. He now works as the Research Program Coordinator for the SADII-SCORE, working to promote collaboration across projects and cores, as well as supporting the Sex and Gender Analysis Core on certain data analysis projects. Outside of the office, he enjoys hiking, music, and local (and non-local) beer
Sabal Chaulagain, BVSc&AH, PhD
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Postdoctoral Fellow
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Sabal Chaulagain earned his Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (BVSc & AH, 2013) degree from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He joined Dr. Daniel Rock’s lab in the department of Pathobiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), USA as a visiting scholar (2015) and later obtained his PhD from Dr. Rock’s lab in 2021. His thesis focused on establishing the role of African swine fever virus (ASFV) CD2v protein in NF-κB mediated IFN-β induction leading to apoptosis in lymphocytes and macrophages with an aim to provide explanation for critical ASF disease pathogenic mechanism. He is interested in studying the immune responses and pathogenesis of diseases caused by influenza A/B viruses, SARS-CoV-2, and Zika viruses. In the Klein lab, Sabal is studying the molecular mechanisms of sex differences in influenza B virus pathogenesis. Outside of the lab, he enjoys running, dancing, playing tennis, cooking, watching movies, traveling, and making new friends.
Laura A. St. Clair, PhD – Postdoctoral Fellow
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Laura earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology from Colorado State University in 2022. She studied in the lab of Dr. Rushika Perera at the Center for Vector-borne and Infectious Diseases within CSU's Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology department. Her thesis focused on defining the relationship between dengue viruses and human sphingolipid metabolism. During her Ph.D. she also assessed mechanisms of mRNA decay in SARS-CoV-2 infection and developed immunofluorescence-based high throughput antiviral testing assays to assist in CSU's antiviral testing efforts at the height of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In the Klein lab, Laura is interested in examining the intersections of metabolism, biological sex, and immunology that drive differences in vaccine efficacy between older and younger adults as well as pregnant and non-pregnant persons. Outside of the lab, Laura enjoys music and comedy shows, being on or in the water, singing, and cooking.
Pronouns: She, Her, Hers
Joseph Hoffmann, PhD – Postdoctoral Fellow
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Joe Hoffmann joined the Klein lab as a postdoctoral fellow in December 2022. Passionate about infectious disease research, he received his B.S. in biomedical sciences at Maryville University in his hometown, St. Louis Missouri. He then received his PhD in biomedical sciences at Tulane University School of Medicine in 2020. His dissertation research investigated novel antimicrobials and immunotherapeutics as treatments against multidrug resistant gram positive and negative bacterial skin wound infections. He then spent two years in a postdoctoral fellowship at Tulane University’s Center for Translational Research in Infection and Inflammation under the mentorship of Dr. Jay Kolls and Dr. Janet McCombs. There, he studied the mechanisms of protection in mucosal vaccines against pulmonary Klebsiella pneumoniae infection. In the Klein lab, Joe researches the genetic and hormonal influences of sex difference in the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, with a focus on cellular immunity using murine models. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, playing with and pampering his dog, going to concerts, and playing video games.
Jennifer Liu, PhD – Postdoctoral Fellow
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Jennifer A. Liu earned her B.S. in Biology minoring in Chemistry and Healthcare Ethics at Utica College (Utica University) where she gained experience working in an ecology research lab looking at circadian rhythm disruption and light pollution in amphibians. She joined Dr. Randy Nelson's lab in the Department of Neuroscience in the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute in the School of Medicine at West Virginia University where she earned her Ph.D in Neuroscience. Her research at WVU focused on characterizing neuroimmune changes in the brain that resulted in increased neuronal injury and death following ischemic injury with exposure to light at night. Additionally, her other aim of research from her dissertation sought to investigate the influences of chronic circadian disruption altering physiological function including physiological aging, immune response, and cerebrovascular changes that correspond to cognitive impairments and dementia in aged mice. In the Klein lab, Jennifer is interested in characterizing sex differences in cognitive function and neuroimmune cross-talk following acute pathogenesis and post-acute sequelae in a rodent model of SARS-CoV-2. Outside of lab, Jennifer enjoys movies, board games, and trying new restaurants.
Brittany Siebert, MSc, PhD – Postdoctoral Fellow
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Brittany completed her B.S. in Animal Biology and M.Sc. in Avian Biology at the University of California, Davis. During this time, she worked on examining the epidemiological characteristics of the zoonotic bacteria Chlamydia psittaci in wild birds across California. She acquired experience working in classical clinical bacteriology techniques and analysis of epidemiological data. She then joined Dr. Daniel Perez’s lab at the University of Georgia, where she earned her Ph.D. in Comparative Biomedical Sciences in the Department of Population Health. Her research focused on testing new reverse genetics vectors for the rescue of influenza A and B viruses, constructing in vitro and in vivo model systems to study aerosol transmission of influenza A viruses (H1N1, H3N2, and H9N2), and characterizing changes in the respiratory and intestinal microbiota during respiratory viral infections (influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2). In the Klein lab, Brittany is interested in using molecular and bioinformatic tools to explore the relationship between respiratory viral pathogens, the immune system, and the residential host microbiota that contribute to differences in disease pathogenesis in biological sex and pregnancy. Outside of the lab, Brittany enjoys traveling, concerts, playing with her dogs, cooking, and baking.
Maclaine Parish – PhD Candidate, Cellular and Molecular Medicine
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Maclaine completed her BS in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology with a minor in Spanish at the University of Michigan in 2022. Here she worked in the lab of Dr. Anthony Antonellis studying the molecular mechanisms driving peripheral neuropathies in patients with tRNA synthetase mutations. She also worked in the lab of Dr. Dwayne Stupack at UCSD studying high grade serous ovarian cancer; an experience that solidified her interests in women’s health research. In the Klein lab, Maclaine is interested in understanding how viral infections interfere with healthy pregnancies, resulting in adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. This encompasses human clinical trial work studying SARS-CoV-2 vaccine responses in pregnant people in addition to utilizing mouse models of Influenza A Virus infection during pregnancy. Outside of lab, Maclaine enjoys traveling, hiking, cooking and running.
Sneha Mahesh – ScM student, Molecular Microbiology & Immunology
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Sneha completed her BS in Biology with a minor in Health and Human Values at Davidson College. After graduating, she worked as a technician in Dr. Maria Blasi’s lab at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, studying the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 and HIV infection in the kidney and developing lentiviral vector vaccines against infectious diseases. In the Klein lab, she is interested in looking at sex differences in vaccine induced immunity. Outside of lab, Sneha enjoys baking, board games, and playing tennis.
Rishi Pandey – ScM student, Molecular Microbiology & Immunology
Rishi completed his BS in Biochemistry at the University of Maryland, College Park. Here he worked in the lab of Dr. Kyungjin Yoo as a CS research fellow, developing a Virtual Reality program which modernized museum attractions. He also worked as a COVID Research Assistant at a local clinical pathology lab during the pandemic. After graduating, Rishi worked as a Vaccine R&D Associate Scientist at Pfizer. Here he performed clinical immunoassays in high-containment BSL-3 labs, aided in assay validation, and served as the SME for multiple machines and processes. In the Klein lab, he is interested in studying the effect of viral infection on pregnancy via Systems Serology under the guidance of Maclaine. Outside of the lab, Rishi enjoys playing tennis, lifting, eating, playing computer games, watching K-dramas, and sleeping.
Emily Watters – ScM student, Molecular Microbiology & Immunology
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Emily earned a BS in Microbiology from the Ohio State University in 2024. At Ohio State, she developed a strong interest in immunology and virology. As a result, she joined the Zhu Lab and researched the regulation of HIV-1 viral persistence and how epigenetic markers may be exploited as cure strategies. In the Klein lab, Emily is interested in sex differences in response to influenza in mice. Outside of the lab, Emily enjoys going to concerts, planning trips, and wandering.
Ainslee Zou – MPH Student
Ainslee (she, her, hers) graduated from Goshen College (Indiana) with her BA in Molecular Biology/Biochemistry and Music in 2022. After graduation, she moved to Baltimore to begin a postbaccalaureate research fellowship at the National Institute on Aging in Dr. Nan-ping Weng’s lab. There, she studied SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cell immunology, characterizing spike-specific cellular immune responses as they change with time and age. Ainslee is a current MPH student with a concentration in Biostatistics and Epidemiology and a prospective physician-scientist with interests in the intersection of science, medicine, and public health in immunology. In the Klein Lab, she is interested in studying sex differences in immune response to influenza vaccination in humans via Systems Serology. Outside of lab, Ainslee can often be found reading a book, likely with her two cats in close proximity.
Anna Yin, MPH, Data Analyst
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Anna obtained her BS in Microbiology from the University of Michigan and her MPH in Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She previously worked as a research associate in the labs of Drs. Daniel H. Geschwind and Jessica E. Rexach where she used a systems biology approach in human, mouse, and iPSC-derived spheroid models to elucidate the genetic and neuroimmune signaling pathways involved in neurodegenerative dementias. In the Klein lab, Anna is interested studying how patient demographics, especially sex and age, modify SARS-CoV-2 disease severity and durability of humoral immunity. Anna is passionate about intersecting biological research and biostatistical analyses to better understand infectious disease pathogenesis and inform vaccine development.
John Lee, M.S. – Research Technologist
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John came from Michigan where he attended the University of Michigan and Michigan State University for his undergraduate and graduate studies, respectively. Prior to joining the Klein lab, he conducted his thesis research in Dr. Yann Dufour's lab to study how bacterial second messenger called cyclic-di-GMP drives heterogeneous single-cell behaviors in clonal populations of Vibrio cholerae. With ongoing COVID-19 pandemic upon his graduation, he joined the Klein lab as a research technologist to diversify his research experience in virology and immunology (although bacteria are cool and have much to teach us!) In the lab, John is assisting with COVID-19 convalescent plasma studies and basic lab management. In his free time, he enjoys going on a walk along the waterfront in the harbor neighborhoods, listening to science podcasts, and exploring local bakeries and restaurants.
Karly Shi — Undergraduate Assistant
Karly is an undergraduate student at Johns Hopkins University studying molecular and cellular biology. She joined the Klein lab as an undergraduate assistant to learn more about how textbook knowledge applies to laboratory research and how genetics and hormones play into various immune responses, and she's learned a lot through working with Dr. Liu! In her free time, she enjoys making music, reading, and binging audiobooks.
Beatrice Opoku-Boahene – Undergraduate Assistant
Beatrice is an undergraduate student studying molecular and cellular biology. She joined the Klein lab as an undergraduate assistant to expand her lab skills beyond the classroom and to develop a strong network of mentors in the science and research community. In the lab, she is learning cell-based and molecular techniques to measure serum antibody and B-cell metabolic responses with Dr. St Clair. Outside of the lab, she enjoys dancing, cooking and exploring new foods.
Alumni
PhD Students
Patrick Creisher, PharmD, PhD: 2019-2023; thesis focused on the pathogenesis of viral infections during pregnancy, resulting in 14 peer-reviewed papers; currently a postdoctoral scholar with Carolyn Coyne at Duke University.
Janna Shapiro, PhD: 2018-2022; co-advised with Dr. Rosemary Morgan; thesis focused on the intersection of biological sex, age, gender, and race on influenza and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, adverse reactions, and immunity in older adults, resulting in 14 peer-reviewed papers; currently a postdoctoral scholar in the Center for Vaccine Preventable Diseases at the University of Toronto.
Rebecca Ursin, PhD: 2017-2021; thesis focused on defining the molecular and cellular limits of female-biased immunity against influenza A viruses using human clinical samples and animal models and assisted with COVID-19 serology, resulting in 10 peer-reviewed papers; currently a Scientist at AstraZeneca.
Landon vom Steeg, PhD: 2013-2019; thesis focused on aging, androgen receptor signaling, and infectious disease pathogenesis, resulting in 10 peer-reviewed papers; currently a postdoctoral scholar in the laboratory of Charles Wira at the Dartmouth School of Medicine.
Meghan Vermillion, DVM, PhD: 2015-2018; dissertation examined the mechanisms of viral pathogenesis during pregnancy in mouse models, resulting in 10 peer-reviewed papers; currently the Director of Comparative Medicine at Gilead, San Francisco, CA.
Olivia Hall, PhD: 2011-2016; thesis focused on progesterone regulation of innate, adaptive, and reparative immune responses to influenza viruses, resulting in 7 peer-reviewed papers; currently a Principle Scientist at Ichnos Sciences in Switzerland.
Dionne Robinson, PhD: 2007-2013; thesis addressed hormonal and genetic mechanisms of sex differences in influenza pathogenesis in mice, resulting in 7 peer-reviewed papers; currently a Microbiologist at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, Office of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Assessment at the US FDA.
Morgan Marks, PhD: 2005-2009, co-advised with Patti Gravitt; thesis focused on the effects of oral contraceptives on human papilloma virus persistence, resulting in 6 peer-reviewed papers; currently Senior Principle Scientist at the Center for Observational and Real-world Evidence (CORE) at Merck & Co.
Judy Easterbrook Neff, PhD: 2003-2008; dissertation research addressed the immunological mechanisms mediating Seoul virus persistence in Norway rats, resulting in 8 peer-reviewed papers; currently owner and brewmaster at Checkerspot Brewery, Baltimore, MD.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Eliane Wenstedt, MD, PhD: 2024; international visiting fellow from Erasmus University who joined us to learn immuniology, with a focus on how steroid hormones regulate immune responses to influenza vaccines. Recipient of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry travel award.
Santosh Dhakal, DVM, PhD: 2018-2020 (postdoctoral fellowship) and 2020-2022 (research associate); conducted studies pertaining to how biological sex and aging alters immunity against viruses, including influenza A viruses and SARS-CoV-2 using animal models and clinical human samples, which resulted in 13 peer-reviewed papers. In 2021 he received a Johns Hopkins Fisher Discovery Program grant and in 2023 he became an Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases at Kansas State University.
Morgan Sherer, PhD: 2020-2022; conducted studies pertaining to how immunological changes associated with pregnancy affect the outcome of viral infections, including Zika virus and SARS-CoV-2, as well as anxiety, which resulted in 5 peer-reviewed papers; currently consulting at Booz Allen Hamilton on pathogens of pandemic potential.
Henning Jacobsen, PhD: 2021; international visiting fellow who assisted with studies focused on sex differences in immunity to COVID-19 vaccines in older adults and contributed to 2 publications.
Kristyn Sylvia, PhD: 2018-2019; assisted with studies focused on influenza vaccine-induced immunity, contributing to 3 peer-reviewed papers; currently a scientific program manager at Summit Global Health.
Ashley Fink, PhD: 2015-2018; research addressed the mechanisms mediating sex differences in immune responses to influenza virus infection and vaccine-induced immunity in humans and mouse models, resulting in 7 peer-reviewed papers; currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, MN.
Jackye Peretz, PhD: 2014-2015, co-advised with Dr. Andy Pekosz; research focused on how estrogens, including environmental estrogens, affect epithelial cell responses to influenza viruses, resulting in 2 peer-reviewed papers; currently a Toxicologist in the Office of New Drugs, in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the US FDA.
Wei Li, PhD: 2009-2012; project focused on the cellular mechanisms of hantaviral persistence in males, resulting in 5 peer-reviewed papers; currently an Assistant Professor of Dietetics and Nutrition at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Master’s Students
Lauren Hesse, 2023-2024
Phebe Ekregbesi, 2022-2024
Jamie Perry, 2021-2023
Jenny Lee, 2021-2023
Caelan Barranta, 2021-2023
Aihui Wang, 2019-2021
Harish Narasimhan, 2018-2020
Sharvari Deshpande, 2018-2020
Kyrra Engle, 2016-2018
Tanvi Potluri, 2016-2018
Alisa Bochnowski, 2014-2016
Ornob Alam, 2013-2015
Anupama Vasudevan, 2010-2012
Malinda Reynolds, 2009-2010
Rebecca Au, 2007-2009
Maria Lorenzo, 2007-2010
Rebecca Perlmutter, 2007-2008
Ella Hinson (co-advised with Greg Glass), 2001-2003
Amy Cernetich (co-advised with Nirbay Kumar), 2001-2003
Brian Bird (co-advised with Greg Glass), 1998-2000
Research Technologists
Stephanie Peralta, 2022-2023
Christopher Caputo, 2020-2022
Abhinaya Ganesan, 2020-2021
Junior Researchers and Diversity Scholars
Miranda Jimenez, Johns Hopkins Undergraduate DREAMS Honors Scholar, 2021-2024
Gabriel Tobin-Xet, Johns Hopkins Undergraduate DREAMS Honors Scholar, 2021-2023
Ariana Campbell, Johns Hopkins Vivien Thomas post-baccalaureate student, 2021-2022
Yishak Woldetsadik, NIH PREP post-baccalaureate student, 2019-2020
Shane Conyers, CDC Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Fellow, 2019
Natalie Hurst, Merial Veterinary Scholars Program, 2019
Yijun Guo, Women in Science and Engineering, Garrison Forest Preparatory School, 2017-2018
Nathan Crilly, Merial Veterinary Scholars Program, 2016
Kiara Parker, CDC Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Fellow, 2016
Jamaiha Thomas, Johns Hopkins Summer Jobs Program and Westnet STEM Scholar, 2015-2018
Caroline Mejias De Jesus, CDC Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Fellow, 2015
William Jian, Diversity Summer Intern, 2010