Kelli Connolly

Kelli Connolly is an Associate Research Scientist at the Yale School of Medicine, Yale University. Her research focuses on cancer immunology, with a particular emphasis on tumor immunity, T cell biology, and neoantigen-driven immune responses. She develops and utilizes mouse models to investigate mechanisms underlying anti-tumor immunity, including T cell exhaustion, tertiary lymphoid structures in cancer, and the role of stem-like T cells in sustaining immune responses. Her work bridges basic immunology and translational cancer research, aiming to improve immunotherapy strategies.

• Key Collaborations: Works closely with researchers like Nikhil Joshi, Gena Gora Foster, and Julie F. Cheung.
• Research Themes: Neoantigen expression, tumor-draining lymph node dynamics, and combination therapies targeting the immune microenvironment.

Her studies highlight the importance of lineage fidelity in CD8 T cells and the role of transcription factors like KLF2 in suppressing exhaustion. She also explores how modulating chemokine axes (e.g., CCR2/CCR5) enhances radiotherapy efficacy. Connolly’s contributions span preclinical models for lung and pancreatic cancers, emphasizing the interplay between tumor biology and immunological mechanisms.

Publications span journals like Science, Cell, and Nature Biotechnology, reflecting her impact in cancer immunology and translational research.