Jeniel Nett

Jeniel Nett, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health. She is a physician-scientist whose research is supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, focusing on host-fungal interactions, particularly in the context of biofilm-associated infections caused by Candida albicans and the emerging multidrug-resistant Candida auris.

• BS, University of Wisconsin
• MD, University of Wisconsin
• PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin–Madison
• Residency in Internal Medicine, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
• Fellowship in Infectious Disease, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics

Her research centers on immune evasion mechanisms employed by fungal biofilms, particularly how Candida species impair neutrophil function, resist phagocytosis, and colonize skin in healthcare settings. She investigates biofilm matrix composition, β-glucan masking, and the development of novel antifungal strategies. Her work integrates molecular microbiology, immunology, and translational models including ex vivo skin and animal infection systems.

The most recent publications highlight trends in understanding Candida auris colonization, drug resistance mechanisms, neutrophil interactions, and the development of new antifungal compounds and delivery systems. Her lab also contributes to foundational knowledge on biofilm matrix structure and immune modulation by fungal extracellular vesicles.

• Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award for Medical Scientists
• UW-Madison Dickie Research Award
• UW–Madison Vilas Faculty Early Career Investigator Award
• American Medical Women’s Association Exceptional Mentor Award

Dr. Nett mentors graduate, medical, and undergraduate students in her laboratory and serves as Associate Director of the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). She is actively involved in national efforts, including serving on NIH/CDC/IDSA guideline committees for opportunistic infections in HIV patients. Her lab receives funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. She also holds editorial roles in journals such as Scientific Reports, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, and Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.

Her research team includes scientists, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers working on projects related to neutrophil-Candida interactions, skin colonization, and antifungal development. She actively recruits students and trainees across disciplines and promotes collaborative research in infectious disease and medical microbiology.