Center for Microbe and Immunity Research
The Center for Microbe and Immunity Research (CMIR) is focused on fundamental and translational research on common and emerging microbial infections, and diseases of immune dysfunction. CMIR investigators are highly collaborative and work with clinicians to pioneer multidisciplinary research on infectious diseases, and mechanisms to harness the immune system to prevent or treat infectious diseases that are of significant health concern. The center supports cutting-edge research aimed at characterizing microbial pathogenesis and defining protective or detrimental immune responses to infectious diseases and translating this knowledge to innovate and improve therapeutics and vaccines.
Our Goals
- Develop a greater understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which microorganisms establish infection and cause, or prevent, diseases and how the host calibrates the immune response to different disease states.
- Identify innate and adaptive immune mechanisms that provide protection against infectious microorganisms or that lead to aberrant immune function.
- Maximize opportunities to grow and expand collaborative infectious disease research and clinical management.
Areas of Focus
- Childhood and adult respiratory pathogens (e.g., Haemophilus influenzae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Streptococcus and respiratory syncytial virus)
- Oral and gastrointestinal pathogens and diseases (e.g., hepatitis, Porphyromonas, Salmonella)
- Acute, persistent, and chronic infections (e.g. Cytomegalovirus, Hepatitis C, Neisseria, Staphylococcus)
- Health and diseases associated with biofilms, microbiota and polymicrobial infections (e.g., cystic fibrosis, dental caries and oral health, otitis media)
Meet Our Leadership
Joanne Turner
Joanne Turner, PhD, is the chief scientific officer and the interim director of the Center for Microbe and Immunity Research at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital. She is also an Elizabeth M. and Richard M. Ross Endowed Chair in Pediatric Research. Dr. Turner’s research focuses on immunity to mycobacterial infection in relation to aging.
Amit Kapoor
Amit Kapoor, PhD, is a principal investigator and interim associate director of the Center for Microbe and Immunity Research at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and an associate professor in The Ohio State University Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Kapoor’s work focuses on molecular characterization of polio and enteroviruses associated with acute flaccid paralysis in North Indian children.
Jennifer L. Edwards
Jennifer L. Edwards, PhD, is a principal investigator and interim associate director in the Center for Microbe and Immunity Research at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital. She is an associate professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Dr. Edwards's NIH-funded research program focuses on the interaction of bacterial pathogens with host mucosal surfaces, with a specific interest in the molecular mechanisms contributing to asymptomatic disease and infectious disease disparity.
Join Our Team
The team at the Center for Microbe and Immunity Research is growing. Click the link below to view current job listings and to learn more about careers at Nationwide Children's Hospital.