Speakers
Keynote Speaker—Robert R. Marshak Lecture
E. John Wherry
Richard and Barbara Schiffrin President's Distinguished Professor
Director, Institute for Immunology
Chair, Department of Systems Pharmacology & Translational Therapeutics
Perelman School of Medicine
Dr. Wherry is a professor of immunology and the director of the Institute for Immunology at the Perelman School of Medicine. Dr. Wherry’s research focuses on T cell exhaustion in chronic infections and cancer and on the mechanisms by which immunoregulatory "checkpoint" pathways, such as PD-1, control T cell exhaustion. His work has advanced the understanding of how gene expression changes affect this exhaustion, which has led to strategies to improve the effectiveness of T cell targeting immunotherapies.
Faculty Speakers
Timour Baslan, PhD
Dr. Baslan leads a multidisciplinary research group that employs computation and functional biology to advance an understanding of cancer genetics and biology with the aim of developing early detection strategies and therapeutics.
Igor E. Brodsky, PhD
The Brodsky lab is interested in host-pathogen interactions, with a focus on innate immune defense against enteric bacterial pathogens and bacterial evasion strategies. Dr. Brodsky is especially interested in how a particular arm of the innate immune system, known as 'The Inflammasome,’ which triggers an inflammatory form of cell death, termed pyroptosis, detects and responds to bacterial infection. Dr. Brodsky obtained his undergraduate degree in molecular biology at Princeton University and pursued PhD studies at Stanford University in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, studying the adaptation of Salmonella to antimicrobial peptides. His postdoctoral training in immunology was conducted at Yale University, where he focused on the innate immune detection of bacterial pathogens. Recent work in the Brodsky lab has investigated the molecular basis for inflammasome activation in response to pathogen manipulation of NF-kB signaling, has investigated the role of inflammatory monocytes in the formation of intestinal granulomas during gastrointestinal bacterial infection, and has explored the cell biology of the cytosolic response to lipopolysaccharide from Gram-negative bacteria. The Brodsky lab’s long-term research goals are to continue to define the fundamental mechanisms that govern innate detection of microbial infection with the goal of improving human and animal health.
Dr. Brodsky joined the Department of Pathobiology in 2011 as an Assistant Professor, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2017, and became Department Chair in 2021. His long-term goal as Chair of Pathobiology is to continue to grow and support an exceptional community of productive, engaged, and energetic faculty who are recognized for their research, teaching, and clinical missions, as well as their leadership in research in the areas of immune responses to infectious diseases, biology of infection, and organismal pathology.
Katrin Hinrichs, DVM, PhD
Dr. Hinrichs is the Harry Werner Endowed Professor of Equine Medicine and Chair of the Department of Clinical Studies—New Bolton Center. She obtained her DVM from the University of California, Davis, and her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Hinrichs’ laboratory has pioneered research into equine assisted reproduction, developing the first successful program for in vitro production of equine blastocysts via intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in the US. Her research has led to methods for shipment of immature oocytes and for biopsy and cryopreservation of equine embryos, now utilized worldwide, and most recently, the first efficient protocol for standard in vitro fertilization in the horse.
Michael J. Hogan, PhD
Dr. Hogan is a new tenure-track assistant professor based in the Department of Pathobiology, and opened his lab on January 1, 2024. The goals of his lab are to understand the mechanisms of T cell-based protection from viral infections and to translate these lessons into the design of better vaccines. Selected topics of interest include CD8 T cell control of respiratory virus infections, the mechanisms of mRNA vaccine immunogenicity, and the development of mRNA/lipid nanoparticle vaccines for animal species with veterinary and agricultural importance. Mike did his postdoctoral fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in the lab of Dr. Laurence “Ike” Eisenlohr, where he studied the T cell response to influenza virus. Before that, he did his doctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania in the labs of Drs. James A. Hoxie and Drew Weissman, where he helped to describe the nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccine platform used against COVID-19.
Thomas Lee, DVM, MVM, MS
Dr. Thomas Lee is a new faculty member of radiation oncology at the Penn Vet Cancer Center. He earned his DVM degree from the National Taiwan University (NTU) School of Veterinary Medicine. Following a rotating internship and a combined residency in medical oncology and a master's degree program, Dr. Lee served as a clinical instructor at NTU for two years. During this time, he collaborated with a human radiation oncology team, treating animal patients and developing a deep interest in radiation therapy. His growing passion for this field led him to pursue and complete a residency in veterinary radiation oncology at the Flint Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University (CSU), where he also earned a second master's degree. Dr. Lee became a board-certified veterinary radiation oncologist in 2021 and is currently finalizing his PhD in cell and molecular biology with a specialization in cancer biology. His research interests focus on head and neck cancers, radioimmunotherapy, and the biology and application of advanced radiation technologies such as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and FLASH radiation therapy. His professional goal is to excel as a clinician-scientist, providing compassionate patient care with cutting-edge technology, while conducting translational cancer research that benefits patients across species.
Christopher J. Lengner, PhD
Dr. Lengner is the Harriet Ellison Woodward Professor and Chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences, where his lab uses molecular genetic and genomic tools to understand the organization of adult stem cell compartments and their oncogenic transformation. The Lengner lab currently focuses on endodermal organs and disease states, including understanding the fundamental organization of the intestinal stem cell compartment and how its dysregulation initiates tumorigenesis, how telomere biology disorders impact stem cell function and crosstalk with the microenvironment, and how new genetic tools can be harnessed to understand lineage in tissue regeneration and cancer metastases.
Prior to assuming the role of Department Chair, Dr. Lengner acted as the Co-Director, along with Dr. Jeremy Wang, of Penn Vet’s Center for Animal Transgenesis from 2014-2023. Dr. Lengner also served as the Associate Director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania from 2017-2023.
Jennifer A. Lenz, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology)
Dr. Lenz is an Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology in the Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine. Dr. Lenz earned her DVM degree from the University of Wisconsin—Madison in 2014. She completed her residency in medical oncology at the University of Minnesota, obtained board certification through the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology), and joined the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania in 2018. Dr. Lenz’s primary research interest is to characterize the immune landscape of the tumor microenvironment in companion animals and identify spontaneous cancer models for translational research. Dr. Lenz is a member of the Atherton Laboratory and, in collaboration with the Penn Vet Comparative Pathology Core, designed an immunohistochemical panel to characterize and quantify tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in canine tumor tissues. Dr. Lenz plays an active role in the Comprehensive Cancer Care service of Ryan Veterinary Hospital, which provides tertiary-level care to canine and feline cancer patients. She also serves as principal investigator for several ongoing veterinary clinical trials evaluating novel immunotherapeutics.
Nicole D. Marino, PhD
Dr. Marino is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathobiology. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Rice University in Houston, Texas, with dual majors in biochemistry & cell biology and classical studies. She obtained her PhD in 2018 from Stanford University, where she studied Toxoplasma gondii pathogenesis in Dr. John Boothroyd’s laboratory. Her fascination with parasites and infectious disease led her to explore the ancient arms race between bacteria and their genetic parasites (phage) as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Joseph Bondy-Denomy’s lab at the University of California, San Francisco. Her lab currently investigates the molecular mechanisms that bacteria use to thwart phage infection and how phage overcome these defenses. Outside of the lab, Dr. Marino enjoys tango dancing, cooking, live music, and comedy shows.
Mark A. Oyama, DVM, MSCE, DACVIM
Dr. Oyama is a veterinary cardiologist and Chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine (CSAM). He received his DVM degree from the University of Illinois, performed his internship at the Animal Medical Center in NYC, and his residency at UC-Davis. He has been actively involved in applied and clinical cardiology research for over 20 years.
Holly Stewart, VMD, PhD
Dr. Stewart received her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania, followed by an internship at Pioneer Equine Hospital in Oakdale, California. Following her internship, she completed a large animal surgery residency at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center. After her residency, Holly pursued a PhD in clinical orthopedics at Colorado State University. Her doctoral research focused on the evaluation of bone edema (bone marrow lesions), including the development of translational experimental models for bone edema and optimization of volumetric imaging for the detection of fluid within bone. She stayed on at Colorado State University after her PhD and worked at the Preclinical Surgical Research Laboratory within the Translational Medicine Institute. She returned to New Bolton Center as an Assistant Professor of Large Animal Surgery in 2023, where she has continued her research focused on understanding the role of subchondral bone in joint health and disease.
Joy E. Tomlinson, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (LAIM)
Dr. Tomlinson is an Assistant Professor of Large Animal Medicine in the Department of Clinical Studies—New Bolton Center. She received her degrees in biological and environmental engineering and veterinary medicine from Cornell University. After graduation, she completed a private practice internship at Chino Valley Equine Hospital in southern California, followed by a residency in large animal internal medicine at New Bolton Center, achieving board certification in large animal internal medicine in 2014. After her residency, she worked at Cornell University as a lecturer and senior research associate before returning to the University of Pennsylvania in her current role in 2024. Her research focuses on equine viral hepatitis, including the pathogens equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) and equine hepacivirus (EqHV). Her seminal work in this area has defined new diseases, resulting in federal regulations to prevent disease transmission. The American Association of Equine Practitioners recognized her work as having significant impact on the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of equine disease with the conferral of the AAEP 2021 Research Award. Dr. Tomlinson’s ongoing research plans include both a big-picture approach to mapping the transmission, epidemiology, and disease associations of both viruses, as well as a finer look at the role of the immune responses in liver injury and determinants of disease severity.
Andrew E. Vaughan, PhD
Dr. Vaughan’s principal research interests lie in characterizing the relevant cell types and molecular mechanisms that orchestrate regeneration of epithelial tissues in order to promote more effective repair. He is especially interested in the delicate balance that exists between appropriate tissue repair (euplasia) and maladaptive/dysplastic tissue remodeling. He was initially trained in basic molecular biology and biochemistry as an undergraduate at the University of Nebraska. Dr. Vaughan developed a broad range of experiences throughout graduate school and during his postdoctoral fellowship, including molecular virology, lung biology, and regenerative medicine. His focus has ultimately coalesced around employing a cellular and molecular framework to study lung injury, in particular, understanding how the various pulmonary tissue compartments are able to (successfully or unsuccessfully) reconstitute themselves after severe lung injury. Dr. Vaughan established a research group as an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania in 2017, and both as a trainee and now as a principal investigator, his lab continues to make major progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms needed for successful lung repair, especially after respiratory viral infections (e.g., H1N1 influenza, SARS-CoV-2).