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Saskia Hemmers

Assistant Professor in Integrative Immunobiology
Integrative Immunobiology
207 Research Drive, Box 3010, Durham, NC 27710
207 Research Drive, Room 112, Durham, NC 27710

Overview


Since joining the Integrative Immunobiology department, the lab has set out to gain a deeper understanding of how tissue cues affect immune and glial cell behavior. The lab is particularly focused on how tissue damage and inflammation shape T cell and glial cell function in the context of neuroinflammation. An additional line of research probes how the cellular ontogeny of T cells contributes to the layered immune system in adulthood.
Lab homepage

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Assistant Professor in Integrative Immunobiology · 2022 - Present Integrative Immunobiology, Basic Science Departments
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute · 2022 - Present Duke Cancer Institute, Institutes and Centers

Recent Publications


Precursor central memory versus effector cell fate and naïve CD4+ T cell heterogeneity.

Journal Article J Exp Med · October 7, 2024 Upon antigenic stimulation, naïve CD4+ T cells can give rise to phenotypically distinct effector T helper cells and long-lived memory T cells. We computationally reconstructed the in vivo trajectory of CD4+ T cell differentiation during a type I inflammato ... Full text Link to item Cite

Novel antigen-presenting cell imparts Treg-dependent tolerance to gut microbiota.

Journal Article Nature · October 2022 Establishing and maintaining tolerance to self-antigens or innocuous foreign antigens is vital for the preservation of organismal health. Within the thymus, medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) expressing autoimmune regulator (AIRE) have a critical ro ... Full text Link to item Cite

T reg cell-intrinsic requirements for ST2 signaling in health and neuroinflammation.

Journal Article J Exp Med · February 1, 2021 ST2, the receptor for the alarmin IL-33, is expressed by a subset of regulatory T (T reg) cells residing in nonlymphoid tissues, and these cells can potently expand upon provision of exogenous IL-33. Whether the accumulation and residence of T reg cells in ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2026

Origin matters: Decoding how neonatal T cell persistence contributes to health and disease

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Foundation · 2023 - 2026

T cell/astrocyte fusions as a novel form of trained immunity to infection

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke · 2023 - 2026

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Education, Training & Certifications


The Scripps Research Institute · 2010 Ph.D.

External Links


Hemmers lab homepage