معرفی
Lisa N Akhtar, MD, PhD, serves as Assistant Professor in Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases) at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine and Attending Physician at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Her institutional affiliations include the Center for Human Immunobiology, Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS), and Robert J. Havey, MD Institute for Global Health - Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution.
Her academic credentials feature:
- BS summa cum laude, University of Alabama at Birmingham (2003)
- PhD, University of Alabama at Birmingham (2010)
- MD magna cum laude, University of Alabama at Birmingham (2011)
- Pediatric Residency, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (2014)
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (2017)
Dr. Akhtar's research centers on viral pathogenesis mechanisms in the pediatric brain, with primary focus on neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis. Her laboratory employs viral whole genome sequencing, human/murine neuronal models, and reverse genetics to identify clinical viral virulence factors. She champions integration of clinically-derived isolates into basic virology research through a biorepository containing viral isolates linked to genomic and clinical data.
Recent publications reveal consistent thematic focus on neurovirulent pathogens across developmental stages, emphasizing HSV encephalitis mechanisms in neonates. Her work bridges clinical neurologic outcomes with molecular virology through analysis of clinical isolates and experimental models, demonstrating translational impact from bench to bedside.
Her extensive scientific recognition includes:
- Caroline B. Hall Award for Clinically Innovative Research Paper (PIDS, 2023)
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society Top Abstract Award (2023)
- Society for Pediatric Research Membership (2022)
- Bernard L. Mirkin, PhD, MD Research Scholar (Lurie Children's, 2021)
- IDWeek 2020 Program Committee Choice Award (2020)
- Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08, NIH/NINDS, 2018)
Dr. Akhtar mentors researchers in her NIH-funded laboratory supported by multiple career development awards. Her grants portfolio includes K08 and K12 mechanisms from NINDS and NICHD, focusing on viral neurovirulence and pediatric infectious disease pathogenesis.
She leads a research team within the Host-Microbial Interactions, Inflammation, and Immunity (HMI3) group at Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, maintaining a collaborative biorepository of clinical viral isolates with associated genomic and clinical data to advance neurovirology research.
