Milena Bogunovic

Milena Bogunovic is an Associate Professor at UMass Chan Medical School with appointments across multiple departments including Pathology, NeuroNexus Institute, Immunology and Microbiology Program, and Neuroscience. She leads the Bogunovic Lab which investigates the critical interplay between the enteric immune and nervous systems in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and preventing inflammatory conditions.

Dr. Bogunovic earned her MD from Russian State Medical University in Moscow, Russia, and her PhD in Immunology from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, NY, jointly with the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. Her educational background bridges clinical medicine and fundamental immunological research.

Her research focuses on four interconnected areas: (1) Developmental pathways of the mononuclear phagocyte system in the gut, (2) Functional roles of dendritic cells and macrophages at the mucosal interface, (3) Neuroimmune interactions between enteric neurons and immune cells, and (4) Translational studies of intestinal phagocytes in human inflammatory bowel disease. Her work has significantly advanced understanding of how macrophages induce tertiary lymphoid structures and IgA responses, and how neural signals regulate gut immunity.

Analysis of Dr. Bogunovic's publication record reveals a consistent trajectory from fundamental immunological mechanisms toward integrated neuroimmune research. Her most cited works focus on the crosstalk between muscularis macrophages and enteric neurons regulating gastrointestinal motility, with over 279 citations. Recent publications increasingly emphasize the role of specific macrophage subsets (particularly CX3CR1hi cells) in organizing gut immune responses and maintaining homeostasis through interactions with the nervous system.

Dr. Bogunovic has mentored numerous trainees who have progressed to successful careers. Current lab members include Dr. Balazs Koscso (Postdoctoral Fellow), Sravya Kurapati (Graduate Student), and Azree Ashraf (Lab Manager). Former lab members include several postdoctoral fellows and research technicians who have moved into industry positions at companies like Biocytogen, CJ CheilJedang BIO, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Sanofi.