A podcast about the body’s defenders against disease. New episodes are posted on the last Tuesday of each month.
The Hosts of IMMUNE
Brianne Barker, Ph.D.
Brianne is an Associate Professor of Biology at Drew University. She grew up in Camden, New York, and was excited to try out research as an undergraduate. She was excited to move to a warmer climate and earned a BS in Biology from Duke University, where she also joined the laboratory of Barton Haynes and measured antibody responses to HIV vaccine candidates. She then earned a PhD in Immunology from Harvard University, where she worked with Norman Letvin examining cytokine control of CD8+ T cell memory. Brianne flew back south for a post-doc at UNC-Chapel Hill with Jenny Ting on innate immune responses.
Eventually, Brianne realized that she was drawn to a position at a liberal arts college teaching and running a lab with undergrads. At Drew, her lab focuses on innate immune DNA sensing. She teaches courses in immunology (lectures on YouTube), virology, microbiology, emerging infectious disease, and a study abroad public health course in South Africa.
She was a TWiV listener and then joined TWiV as a co-host in 2017 and Immune as a co-host in 2020 to further her interest in science communication and representing women in science. In her free time, she watches Duke basketball, does trivia, and cuddles with her cat, Athena.
bbarkerdrew.com: website | @BioProfBarker on X, Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads
Stephanie Langel, Ph.D.
Dr. Langel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology and Center for Global Health and Diseases at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The Langel Research Team is focused on better understanding the role of mucosal antibodies, plasma cells, and B cells during disease, with a special emphasis on maternal and pediatric populations. To do this, Dr. Langel’s team uses clinical samples, animal models, and systems immunology approaches to identify mucosal correlates of immune protection against viral diseases, specifically. Dr. Langel’s group is committed to science communication and pursuing strategies to make science more open and available to the public. In her free time, Dr. Langel enjoys spending time with her spouse and two young kids.
langelresearchteam.com: website | @stephanielangel on X | stephanielangel.bsky.social on Bluesky
Cynthia (Cindy) Leifer, Ph.D.
Cindy is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the College of Veterinary Medicine, co-director of two NIH-funded diversity programs at Cornell, President-elect of the Society for Leukocyte Biology, and a co-host of Immune. As an author of over 50 scientific articles, Dr. Leifer’s research focuses on how the immune system recognizes viruses and bacteria but also seeks to understand how the same responses can trigger autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. She is the recipient of numerous awards such as the Pfizer Award for Research Excellence and the Dolph Adams Award for Excellence in Research, both from the Society for Leukocyte Biology, the Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Cook Award for commitment to empowering and improving the climate for women at Cornell University. She is an active science communicator in print, radio, and TV, and has been interviewed for national and international media.
LeiferLab.com: website | @CindyLeifer on X | Cynthia Byrd Leifer on Facebook | @cynthialeifer on Instagram | CindyLeifer.bsky.social on Bluesky