Katherine Fitzgerald

Katherine Fitzgerald is Professor and Vice Chair of Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School, holding the Worcester Foundation Research Chair. She directs research on innate immune signaling pathways.

Her laboratory investigates:

• Innate immune receptors and inflammasomes
• Nucleic acid sensing mechanisms
• Interferon and cytokine biology
• Host-pathogen interactions

Recent publications focus on cell death pathways, viral immunity, and immune regulation. Notable honors include:

• National Academy of Sciences membership
• Milstein Award for cytokine research
• Thermo-Fischer Meritorious Career Award

She mentors graduate students and postdocs through multiple NIH-funded projects on infectious disease and inflammation. Her work bridges basic immunology and therapeutic development.