BIOGRAPHY

Prof. Lisa Osborne PhD
Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Life Sciences Institute
University of British Columbia
Vancouver (BC), Canada

Dr Lisa Osborne is a mucosal immunologist who earned her PhD from the University of British Columbia and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania. She is fascinated by how the intestinal ecosystem modulates host immunity. Her team takes advantage of germ-free and gnotobiotic mouse models to interrogate how specific perturbations to the intestinal ecosystem influence host-protective antiviral immunity and pathogenic autoimmune responses, particularly in the context of multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes. Her goal is to understand how specific microbes (including multicellular helminthic worms), microbial communities, and the metabolites they produce, interact with the host immune system to identify levers that can boost vaccine efficacy or dampen autoimmune reactions. Ultimately, her team hopes to use these insights to alter the trajectory of disease outcomes. Dr Osborne is also a first-generation university student, and is thrilled to mentor trainees who find joy in the process of scientific discovery.