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.