Daria Esterhazy

Daria Esterhazy is an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago in the Department of Pathology. Her research focuses on immunological niche specialization in the digestive system, spanning gut, liver, and pancreas interactions. She investigates how lymph node heterogeneity and organ crosstalk shape disease susceptibility in food allergies, autoimmune disorders, and cancers.

• PhD in Metabolism and Pancreatic Islet Biology from ETH Zurich (2010)
• MSci in Biochemistry from University of Cambridge (2006)
• BA in Natural Sciences from University of Cambridge (2005)

Her work employs mice models with techniques like lymph node dissection, single-cell gene analysis, and gnotobiotic studies. She emphasizes cross-organ immune regulation via shared lymphatics and ductal systems, particularly in pancreatic diseases including diabetes and cancer. Publications highlight her expertise in:

• 2025: Helminth-altered intestinal lymphatics
• 2023: Helminth infection and immune tolerance
• 2019: Gut lymph node compartmentalization
• 2017: Microbiota-GPCR ligand mimicry
• 2012: Pancreatic beta-cell proteomics

Awards include the Swiss National Science Foundation Fellowships, Rockefeller University Helmsley Trust, and Swiss Diabetes Foundation Prize. Her lab (Esterházy Lab) bridges immunology with metabolic disease research, utilizing translational models and multimodal imaging to connect mouse findings to human pathologies.