Scholars@Duke
Katayoun Ayasoufi

Katayoun Ayasoufi

Assistant Professor in Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery
katayoun.ayasoufi@duke.edu
303 Research Dr, Box 2600, Durham, NC 27710
303 Research Dr, MSRB 1-417, Durham, NC 27710

Selected Presentations & Appearances

Circulating cell-free DNA directly inhibits T cell function and contributes to peripheral immunosuppression in experimental GBM - Duke Brain Tumor Center annual retreat · June 2024 Invited Talk Duke University, Durham, NC
Cell Free DNA contributes to Systemic Immunosuppression in GBM - Data Integration Working Group bimonthly meeting · June 2024 Invited Talk Duke University, Virtual Platform
Developing thymocytes cue in unique subsets of neurons to support optimal thymic architecture · May 2024 National Scientific Meeting American Association of Immunologists annual meeting, Chicago, IL

My post-doc Alexandra Hoyt-Miggelbrink received a travel award based on this abstract. This abstract was also selected to be presented at one of the major symposia. Only 16 abstracts were selected for plenary talks.

Poster Presentation: Circulating cell-free DNA directly inhibits T cell responses and contributes to systemic immunosuppression in glioblastoma · May 2024 National Scientific Meeting American Association of Immunologists annual meeting, Chicago, IL

Poster presentation

Neurotropic viral infections induce priming and maintenance of a novel antigen-specific CD8 T cell population within the bone marrow that dysregulates the stem cell niche upon reactivation · May 2024 National Scientific Meeting The American Association of Immunologists Annual Meeting , Chicago, IL

Oral presentation given by my trainee Rachael Reesman. My trainee Rachael Reesman received a trainee award based on this abstract.

Women of the BTC are major drivers of scientific breakthroughs in the fight against brain tumors - Invited speaker for philanthropy group Angels Amongst us · April 2024 Other Duke Brain Tumor Program Board of Advisors Meeting, Durham, NC

Promoting women in science

Poster Presentation: Circulating cell-free DNA directly inhibits T cell function and contributes to peripheral immunosuppression in experimental GBM · November 2023 International Meeting or Conference Society for Neurooncology , Vancouver, BC

Poster Presentation

Cell Free DNA contributes to Systemic Immunosuppression in GBM. - The NCI brain tumor SPORE program meeting · November 2023 Invited Talk NCI, Virtual Platform

Virtual talk at the NCI brain tumor SPORE program meeting
Free-floating DNA inhibits immune responses in GBM. - Duke Brain Tumor Program Board of Advisors Meeting · October 2023 Other Invited speaker for philanthropy group Angels Amongst us, Durham, NC
Cell-free DNA contributes to systemic immunosuppression in experimental GBM - Duke Department of Neurosurgery retreat · June 2023 Invited Talk Duke University, Durham, NC
Circulating cell-free DNA directly inhibits T cell function and contributes to peripheral immunosuppression in experimental GBM - Duke Brain Tumor Center annual retreat · June 2023 Invited Talk Duke University, Durham, NC
Circulating cell-free DNA directly inhibits T cell function and contributes to peripheral immunosuppression in experimental GBM - American Association of Immunologists · May 2023 National Scientific Meeting
Understanding mechanisms of multifaceted immunosuppression following brain injury · June 2022 Interview The Ohio State University
Understanding mechanisms of multifaceted immunosuppression following brain injury · May 2022 Interview Washington University
Understanding mechanisms of multifaceted immunosuppression following brain injury · January 2022 Invited Talk Duke University
Brain-Thymus communication is a novel immunosuppressive feature of neurological insults.” · November 2019 Invited Talk SNO-SCIDOT meeting
Brain-Thymus communication is a novel immunosuppressive feature of neurological insults - Center for Immunology (CFI- UMN) - Mayo Clinic joint retreat, · October 2019 Invited Talk
Brain-Thymus communication is a novel immunosuppressive feature of neurological insults - American Association of Immunologists · May 2019 National Scientific Meeting
Rapid activation of brain resident memory T cells following neurological insults.” American Association of Immunologists - American Association of Immunologists · May 2019 National Scientific Meeting
Brain-Thymus communication is a novel immunosuppressive feature of glioblastoma - UMN/Mayo Brain tumor retreat · January 2019 Invited Talk
Transplantation Immunology · 2019 - 2023 Lecture

Discussion leader at Mayo Clinic Immunopathology tutorial (04/2019- 1 lecture, 05/2021- 1 lecture, 04/2023-1 lecture)
T cell development - Mayo Clinic basic Immunology course · 2018 - 2023 Lecture

Lecturer in Mayo Clinic basic Immunology course (10/2018 – 1 lecture, 10-2019- 1 lecture, 10/2020- 1 lecture, 10/2021- 1 lecture, 10/2021- 1 lecture, 10/2022-1 lecture)

Peripheral immunosuppression in glioblastoma is characterized by decreased MHCII expression, low CD4 T cell counts and thymic atrophy and may be a critical barrier to successful therapeutic strategies - Autumn Immunology Conference · November 2017 National Scientific Meeting
Thymus Is Required for T Cells Reconstitution Following Antibody-Mediated Lymphoablation - American Transplant Congress · June 2016 National Scientific Meeting
Aquaporin 4 Blockade Is a Novel Strategy to Prevent T Cell Activation and Effector Functions.” American Transplant Congress - American Transplant Congress · June 2016 National Scientific Meeting
B cells and CD40/CD154 interactions are required for CD8 T cell recovery following antibody-mediated lymphoablation - Autumn Immunology Conference · November 2015 National Scientific Meeting
Aquaporin 4 Blockade Is a Novel Strategy Targeting Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Heart Transplantation - American Transplant Congress · May 2015 National Scientific Meeting
Blocking CD4 T cell helper functions improves efficacy of ATG treatment in sensitized transplant recipients - American Transplant Congress · May 2015 National Scientific Meeting
CD40-Dependent Help by CD4 T Cells Is Required for CD8 T Cell Recovery after Antithymocyte Globulin Lymphoablation - American Transplant Congress · May 2013 National Scientific Meeting

Outreach & Engaged Scholarship

Discussion of Immunology for High school students - Choate Rosemary Hall school/ virtual participation · 2020 - 2021 Community Outreach I worked with Dr. Selena Gell. Helped high school students at Choate Rosemary Hall learn an immunology project related to my work. I met with two students regularly and went through immunology research and one of my publications. They then came up with future direction to explain to the class. 2020-2021.

Service to the Profession

NIH Early Career Reviewer (ECR) - Cellular and Molecular Biology of Glia (CMBG) study section · October 2024 Committee Service NIH, Bethesda, MD
Grant Reviewer · July 2024 - August 2024 Committee Service The Netherlands Brain Foundation,
Grant Reviewer: Proposal Reviewer for the BIBC Challenge Event - University of Michigan · May 2024 Committee Service

I reviewed proposals for the University of Michigan internal grant competition.

BTC retreat co-organization · October 2023 - June 2024 Event/Organization Administration Duke University, Durham, NC

I co-organized the BTC retreat. We planned the vents, invited speakers for talks, and invited a keynote speaker. We, for the first time, added a keynote speaker and a career development session to the retreat program.

Reviewer for Frontier's in Immunology Journal · 2021 - 2023 Editorial Activities
Poster presentation - Society for Neurooncology · 2019 - 2023 Event Attendance

I have/ will attend the annual SNO meeting since 2019. I have presented posters unless talks were listed under presentations for those years.

Poster presentation - American Epilepsy Society · 2014 Event Attendance
Poster and Oral presentation - American Association for Immunologists · 2012 - 2023 Event Attendance

I have attended AAI annually. Oral presentations are listed under presentations. The years without oral presentations, I presented posters.

Poster and oral presentation - American Transplant Congress · 2011 - 2016 Event Attendance

I attended ATC annually between 2011-2016 . Oral presentations are listed under presentations. The years without oral presentations, I presented posters.

Service to Duke

Attended and my trainees presented at the Glia camp . Glia Camp · April 2024 Event Attendance

We attended Glia Camp organized by the departments of neurosurgery and immunology. My trainee Rachael Reesman presented an oral presentation. Her abstract was selected to be an oral presentation.

co-organized the BTC retreat · October 2023 - June 2024 Event/Organization Administration
SOM MD application Rater/Screener · 2023 Other

I have served as an MD application rater and screener/interviewer in the 2023-2024 application cycle. I was invited back to be a part of the 2024-2025 cycle.