Research Overview

The ability to adapt successfully to changing environments and stressors is balanced in large part by the body’s immune and endocrine systems, which share a highly connected cross-regulatory relationship. In women, these two systems are particularly integrated as they cooperate to control reproductive function necessary for pregnancy tolerance. Our understanding of the factors governing this critical and complex relationship is poor, but it would allow us to make better sense of the sex-discrepant prevalance of certain autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and multiple sclerosis, and bone fragility disorders, such as osteoporosis, both of which have female sex as one of the greatest predictive risk factors. My aim as a translational immunologist is to deepen understanding of this intricate immune-endocrine link that influences one’s microbiome, metabolism, stress resilience, bone health and reproductive function.

Awards

Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellowship (Germany): Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, 2011-2012
MSFHR Doctoral Scholarship: Michael Smith Foundation of Health Research, 2004-2005
CIHR Doctoral Scholarship: Canadian Institutes of Health Research 2001-2004