Theresa was trained as a basic immunologist, initially working in the field of cardiac transplant immunology at Loyola University Chicago, where she earned her PhD, and then as a mucosal immunologist, investigating both basic cytokine biology, as well as epithelial-immune cell interactions in the GI tract, as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Southern California (Los Angeles).
Her professional career has spanned more than 30 years, first as faculty at the University of Virginia (Charlottesville), and then at CWRU. Her current research interests are focused in the areas of innate immune pathways in IBD/inflammation-associated fibrosis and GI cancers, and determining the impact of the microbiome on sex-based differences in experimental and human IBD. She is a past recipient of the Marie Curie Award from the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (2019) and the Woman in Science Award from the International Association of Inflammation Societies (2022). Theresa has also served on several review panels for the NIH, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, VA Merit, Department of Defense, and European Research Council. She recently completed her term on the NIH DHMI Study Section, the last year as Chair, and currently serves on the American Gastroenterology Association (AGA)’s Research Policy Committee and is Chair of Grants Council for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.
I focus on basic and translational research in gut mucosal immunity, including IBD and colitis-associated cancer. I also research sex differences and impact of microbiome in IBD and basic cytokine biology, particularly of IL-1 family members.
Publications
A complete list of her publication is available here.