Bio:

Susan Kaech is a prominent Salk Institute Professor, Director of the NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, and holder of the NOMIS Chair. Previously, she served as the Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor at Yale University from 2004 to 2018. Dr. Kaech completed her postdoctoral training with Dr. Rafi Ahmed at Emory University and earned her PhD in Developmental Biology from Stanford University, following her BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of Washington. Dr. Kaech’s research focuses on understanding the production and function of memory T cells during infections and vaccinations, as well as the mechanisms behind their failure to induce long-term immunity. Her lab has pioneered the use of genetic and molecular tools to identify key genes and signaling pathways involved in the differentiation of CD4 and CD8 memory T cells during both acute and chronic viral infections. Additionally, she explores how metabolic regulation affects T cell and macrophage function, particularly in the context of tumors, to develop improved cancer immunotherapies. Dr. Kaech has received numerous accolades, including the Damon Runyon–Walter Winchell Cancer Research Fellowship and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). In 2020, she was elected as an AAAS Fellow and in 2023, she was honored as a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. She also serves on the AAI council and is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Furthermore, Dr. Kaech contributes to several advisory boards and is an academic editor for the Journal of Experimental Medicine.