Natalie Steinel

Natalie Steinel is an Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, affiliated with the Department of Biological Sciences and the Center for Pathogen Research & Training (CPRT). Her research bridges immunology, ecoimmunology, and host-parasite interactions, with a focus on evolutionary and molecular mechanisms.

• Education:
  • BA in French (2003), University of Texas at Austin
  • PhD in Immunology (2013), University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Steinel's research explores how gene expression drives immune adaptation in threespine stickleback fish and their parasites, with implications for comparative immunology and evolutionary medicine. Her work also investigates gut microbiome interactions in helminth infections and renal side effects of cancer immunotherapy.

Her publications (2011–2022) span immunology, parasitology, and medical education, reflecting her dual expertise in evolutionary immunology and pedagogy. She has contributed to journals such as Science, PNAS, and Medical Science Educator.

In medical education, she co-designed an accelerated, flipped classroom curriculum for first-year students at the Dell Medical School, integrating microbiology, pharmacology, and immunology.

Dr. Steinel leads the Steinel Lab, which investigates immune responses in non-model organisms and develops microfluidic systems for immunotoxicity testing.