Karen A. Norris BS, PhD

Dr. Norris is a Professor in the Department of Immunology and conducts research in immunology and infectious diseases with emphasis on vaccine development, comorbidities, and opportunistic infections associated with HIV infection, chronic immune activation, and aging. She has developed a team of investigators and collaborators who provide expertise in all aspects of these studies, including veterinary, pulmonary, cardiology, pathology, immunology, radiology, virology, and immunology. This team has been successful in establishing the first primate model of Pneumocystis pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COP), and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Current studies are underway to test the efficacy of the Pneumocystis vaccine in pre-clinical models and develop therapeutic interventions to treat inflammation-mediated diseases, including diabetes, pulmonary hypertension, and COPD.