Achsah D. Keegan

Dr. Achsah D. Keegan is a tenured Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She serves as Associate Director of the Medical Scientist Training Program and is affiliated with the Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases (CVID) and the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center. She holds a B.S. in Zoology from Duke University (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and a Ph.D. in Immunology from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, followed by postdoctoral training at the NIH.

Her research focuses on the mechanisms of Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and Interleukin-13 (IL-13) signaling in Type II inflammatory responses, particularly in allergic asthma and tumor biology. Key areas include cytokine receptor signaling, macrophage differentiation, STAT6 pathways, and the role of IRS proteins in immune regulation and cancer. Her work has identified IL-4-activated macrophage contributions to asthma severity and tumor survival.

Dr. Keegan has trained 8 PhD students, 7 postdoctoral fellows, and 4 junior faculty members. She serves as Associate Editor for Cellular Immunology and the Journal of Interferon and Cytokine Research, and is an editorial board member of Cytokine. Her scientific awards include:

• Phi Beta Kappa
• magna cum laude honors

Her research has been continuously funded since 1996, and she has served on NIH study sections including Cellular and Molecular Immunology-A and -B.