Samuel M Behar

Samuel M Behar is a Professor at UMass Chan Medical School, affiliated with the T.H. Chan School of Medicine and the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in the Immunology and Microbiology Program. His research focuses on understanding the immunological basis of protective immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, particularly the role of T cells in controlling infection and informing tuberculosis vaccine development.

Behar’s work explores early pulmonary immune responses, antigen-specific CD8+ T cell characterization, and mechanisms of immune evasion by M. tuberculosis. Key themes include T cell recruitment, macrophage heterogeneity, and host-directed therapies. His 2025–2024 studies highlight CD4/CD8 T cell interactions, M. tuberculosis strain diversity, and granulysin’s role in immunity.

Publications span immunology, microbiology, and vaccinology, with subfields like T cell exhaustion, antigen presentation, and cellular immunity. Collaborations involve institutions like the Morningside Graduate School and research on murine and macaque models. No specific awards are listed in the provided data.