People
Cynthia Leifer, PhD
Principal investigator @cindyleifer Dr. Leifer is an Associate Professor of Immunology, and Director of the Cornell PACE program. Her research is at the interface of the immune system with pathogens. Using an array of techniques from molecular and cell biology to whole animal disease models, the main research focus is on the macrophage and how signaling through Toll-like receptors (TLRs) is regulated. TLRs are critical to defend the body against infection, but dysregulation contributes to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. As a professor she directs Basic Immunology and Advanced Immunology, teaches immunology to veterinary students, and lectures on vaccines in public health in the Master's in Public Health Program at Cornell University. In addition to research and teaching, Dr. Leifer is a vaccine advocate and science communicator. She has been interviewed by national and international print and radio journalists about vaccines and immunology. She gives workshops on science communication, has published a number of opinion articles, and is co-host of the podcast Immune (microbe.tv/immune). If you are interested in hosting Dr. Leifer for a speaking engagement, please email her directly. |
Lab Members

Jingyi Chen
Laboratory Technician
Laboratory Technician
Lab alumni
Sophie Reynolds, undergraduate student
Ali Aygun, undergraduate student
Erika Gruber, DVM, DACVP, graduate student
Christa Heyward, postdoctoral associate
Samantha Ellis, veterinary student
Tuan Phan, visiting research fellow
Mark Derbyshire, undergraduate
Sean Callagy, undergraduate
Jody Cameron, technician
HeeJin Cheon, undergraduate
Nicholas Hatter, Master of Engineering student
McKenzie Klein, undergraduate
Sandra Stelzer, veterinary student
Alessandra Tomasi, undergraduate
Andrew Eng, undergraduate
Justin Im, undergraduate
Clarice Lin, undergraduate
Greg Poorman, undergraduate
Drhumil Patel, undergraduate
Emma Ehrlich, veterinary student
Siddhartha Sinha, graduate student
Joseph Matagrano, undergraduate
James Brooks, graduate student
William Rose, postdoctoral associate
Molly Benner, veterinary student
Fern Botelho, postdoctoral associate
Maroof Hasan, postdoctoral associate
Jessica Brown, veterinary student
Chia-Hsin Ju, graduate student
Ana Chockalingham, postdoctoral associate
Catarina Ruksznis, veterinary student
Akiko Kimura, postdoctoral associate
Ali Aygun, undergraduate student
Erika Gruber, DVM, DACVP, graduate student
Christa Heyward, postdoctoral associate
Samantha Ellis, veterinary student
Tuan Phan, visiting research fellow
Mark Derbyshire, undergraduate
Sean Callagy, undergraduate
Jody Cameron, technician
HeeJin Cheon, undergraduate
Nicholas Hatter, Master of Engineering student
McKenzie Klein, undergraduate
Sandra Stelzer, veterinary student
Alessandra Tomasi, undergraduate
Andrew Eng, undergraduate
Justin Im, undergraduate
Clarice Lin, undergraduate
Greg Poorman, undergraduate
Drhumil Patel, undergraduate
Emma Ehrlich, veterinary student
Siddhartha Sinha, graduate student
Joseph Matagrano, undergraduate
James Brooks, graduate student
William Rose, postdoctoral associate
Molly Benner, veterinary student
Fern Botelho, postdoctoral associate
Maroof Hasan, postdoctoral associate
Jessica Brown, veterinary student
Chia-Hsin Ju, graduate student
Ana Chockalingham, postdoctoral associate
Catarina Ruksznis, veterinary student
Akiko Kimura, postdoctoral associate