Johns Hopkins University announced that Nicole Baumgarth, PhD, has joined the university as the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Bloomberg School of Public Health and in the Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology at the School of Medicine, as well as the Founder and Director of the Lyme and Tickborne Diseases Research and Education Institute. Dr. Baumgarth joins Johns Hopkins University after serving as Professor of Immunology in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology at the University of California, Davis. By focusing on the immunological mechanisms behind the regulation of pathogen immunity in Lyme disease and influenza virus infections; the signals that guide B cell responses; as well as how pathogens interfere with the regulatory processes of B cells, Dr. Baumgarth’s current research is comparing successful and unsuccessful immune responses with the hopes of understanding where the immune system goes wrong when it fails to function as intended. She is also studying the long-term effects of bacterial infections on the immune system with the intent of developing more effective treatment options—and with her unique background, hopes to one day be able to cure Lyme disease without antibiotics. “This is a rare opportunity to build up something new,” Dr. Baumgarth commented in looking to her new roles. “My hope is that I can build up this institute with a really solid foundation grounded on excellence and research, with the goal of supporting public health, public education, and student education.” Dr. Baumgarth is recognized for her dedication to the fields of immunology and tickborne diseases, as well as her commitment to advancing treatment options for patients with Lyme disease.
May 18, 2023