Elissa A Hallem

Elissa A Hallem is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Her research lies at the intersection of neurobiology and parasitology, focusing on the sensory neural circuits that drive host-seeking behavior in skin-penetrating nematodes like Strongyloides stercoralis, a human-parasitic worm. She also investigates chemosensation, host-pathogen interactions, and sensory plasticity using both parasitic nematodes and the free-living Caenorhabditis elegans as comparative models.

Education

• BA in Biology and Chemistry from Williams College (1999)
• PhD in Neuroscience from Yale University (2005)
• Postdoctoral training in Biology at Caltech (2010)

Research Focus

Her work addresses fundamental questions about how sensory circuits enable parasitic worms to detect and infect hosts. Key findings reveal the neural basis of heat seeking, chemosensory valence, and experience-dependent plasticity in nematodes. She has developed genetic tools for Strongyloides and studies steroid hormone pathways in Pristionchus pacificus.

Scientific Awards

• 2023: UCLA Life Sciences Excellence in Research Award
• 2020: UCLA Faculty Mentor Award
• 2016: HHMI Faculty Scholar Award
• 2015: Burroughs-Wellcome Fund Investigators in the Pathogenesis of Disease Award
• 2014: NIH Director's New Innovator Award
• 2012: MacArthur Fellowship
• 2011: Rita Allen Foundation Fellowship

Lab Overview

The Hallem Lab at UCLA emphasizes inclusive research and tool development for parasitic nematode studies, aiming to uncover novel strategies for preventing infections through understanding sensory-driven parasitic mechanisms.