top of page

Nakisha Rutledge

Postdoctoral Researcher

  • Email_Icon
NR.png

About Nakisha

Nakisha is STEM enthusiast born and raised in Detroit, MI. She is a first generation college graduate who received her Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry from Spelman College. In 2013, she moved to Chicago, IL to pursue her Ph.D. in the Driskill Graduate Program at Northwestern university. Her doctoral research focused on characterizing adhesion molecules as potential therapeutic target for inflammation. For her thesis, she studied the role of CD99L2 in inflammation specifically at the site of transmigration. 

In September 2022, she joined the Esser-Kahn lab as a T32 IMPOEST fellow. In her post-doctoral work she studies the mechanisms of a novel subpopulation of Dendritic cells called “First Responders”. 

Outside of lab, Nakisha enjoys exposing youth from underserved communities to careers in STEM through hands on demonstrations. Outside of science, Nakisha loves spending time with her children, dancing, swimming and watching cartoons. 

Education

B.S. Biochemistry, Spelman College 2013

MS. Clinical Investigation, Northwestern University 2022

Ph.D. Vascular Immunology, Northwestern University 2022

Thesis: “CD99L2 Mediates a Unique Step in Transendothelial Migration Between PECAM and CD99” (advisor: William A. Muller)

Favorite Quote

“Comparison is the thief of joy”

-Theodore Roosevelt

Scientific Hero

Black Women in Science!!!!

If you could be a piece of lab equipment, what would you be?

Flow Cytometer (Fortesssa) because I view life in multi-color and not black and white.

Nakisha's Research

Nakisha’s current research is focused on identifying the origins and underlying mechanisms of hyperactive dendritic cells coined “First Responders”.

Lab Publications 

Ung, T., Rutledge, N. S., Weiss, A. M., Esser‐Kahn, A. P., & Deak, P. E. (2023). Cell-targeted vaccines: implications for adaptive immunity. Frontiers in Immunology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1221008

Kim, J. Y., Rosenberger, M. G., Rutledge, N. S., & Esser-Kahn, A. P. (2023). Next-Generation Adjuvants: Applying Engineering Methods to Create and Evaluate Novel Immunological Responses. Pharmaceutics, 15(6), 1687.

https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/15/6/1687

bottom of page