Children’s Research Institute Seminar Series “Oral and Systemic Biomarkers for Peanut Sublingual Immunotherapy”

Johanna Smeekens is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Allergy and Immunology, in the Department of Pediatrics. She earned her PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology and then joined the UNC Food Allergy Initiative for her postdoctoral training in food allergy and immunology. Dr. Smeekens’ research focuses on understanding the mechanisms underlying the development of food allergy and identifying biomarkers of successful treatment outcomes. She has developed several models of allergen exposures in mice that help determine the different exposure routes that may lead to sensitization. Dr. Smeekens also works with biospecimens from sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) and oral immunotherapy (OIT) clinical trials for peanut allergy, including saliva, blood, and plasma, to identify biomarkers that are predictive of clinical outcomes.

Zoom available by request:

https://zoom.us/j/98566446544?pwd=ejZFTC9VZGZpYzVqa0IwemZZcTRUdz09

Meeting ID: 985 6644 6544, Passcode: 539057