Kellie Spahr is a graduate student in the Program in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh. She received her B.S in biochemistry from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor in 2018. As an undergraduate, Kellie conducted prostate cancer research with Dr. Felix Feng (Michigan), Dr. Cindy Miranti (Van Andel Research Institute), and Dr. Charlotte Bevan (Imperial College London). Her projects focused on signaling pathways that drive tumorigenesis. After graduation, she worked as a Research Associate at Seagen, Inc. in Seattle, WA., developing antibody-drug conjugate therapeutics for cancer. It was at Seagen that her interest in tumor immunology developed. Kellie joined the lab in March 2022.
Kellie’s research is focused on understanding the mechanisms of T-cell exhaustion and the functional role(s) exhausted T-cells play in the tumor microenvironment.
Coffee or tea? Coffee
Favorite candy? 85% cocoa dark chocolate
What superpower do you wish you had? Teleportation
What is your favorite piece of lab equipment? P200 pipette