Kellie Ann Jurado, PhD
Presidential Assistant Professor
Member, Institute for Immunology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Member, Penn Center for Research in Reproduction and Women’s Health, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
In-Residence College House Faculty Fellow, Gutmann College House, University of Pennsylvania
Scientific Director of Animal Biosafety Level-3 Core Facility, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Assistant Director for Trainee Affairs & Wellness, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Summer Undergraduate Internship Program Co-Director., University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Department: Microbiology
Graduate Group Affiliations
Contact information
3450 Hamilton Walk
Stemmler Hall 474A
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Stemmler Hall 474A
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: 215-573-6378
Lab: 215-573-7459
Lab: 215-573-7459
Education:
B.S. (Biology, Microbiology)
New Mexico State University, 2011.
Ph.D. (Virology Program in the Division of Medical Sciences)
Harvard University, 2015.
Permanent linkB.S. (Biology, Microbiology)
New Mexico State University, 2011.
Ph.D. (Virology Program in the Division of Medical Sciences)
Harvard University, 2015.
Description of Research Expertise
We study early life immunity using emerging viruses. The long-term goal of our research is to uncover basic immunobiological mechanisms that underlie and regulate immune responses in utero through early life. We ask questions about immune system function, kinetics, regulation and development during pregnancy and as a neonate in two distinct contexts: under healthy homeostatic conditions and after inflammatory insults (maternal or paternal-restricted and/or local congenital infection).We leverage emerging viruses as biological probes to decode early life immunity. Emerging virus pathogenesis, through disruption, can reveal important host immune networks that lead to the discovery of critical host immune functions. Since early immune exposures influence life-long health, deciphering molecular mechanisms associated with fetal immune system development could hold the key for disease intervention even prior to onset. The ultimate objective of our efforts is to describe fundamental immunobiology in order to discover and identify opportunity to improve offspring health outcomes.
Selected Publications
Merlino MS, Barksdale B, Negatu SG, Philip DT, Clements RL, Miller-Ensminger T, Lopez AL, Mani S, Mainigi MN, Hunter CA, and Jurado KA: Interluekin-27 is antiviral against Zika virus at the maternal-fetal interface. Nature Communications Dec 2025.Bannerman C, Philip DT, Miller-Ensminger T, Kennedy E, Liu S, Walsh K, Ming GL, and Jurado KA: Oropouche virus disrupts neurodevelopment and is vertically transmitted. Research Square [Preprint] Sep 2025 Notes: in revision at Nature (01/2026).
Negatu SG and Jurado KA: Targeting pathogenic interferon-stimulated gene RSAD2 improves pregnancy outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus models. Cell Reports Medicine 6(3): 102034, Mar 2025.
Negatu SG, Vazquez CV, Bannerman C, Amses KR, Ming GL, and Jurado KA: Bystander neuronal progenitors in forebrain organoids promote protective antiviral responses. Journal of Neuroinflammation 22(65), Mar 2025.
Simoni MK*, Negatu SG*, Park JY, Mani S, Arreguin MC, Amses K, Huh DD, Mainigi MN, and Jurado KA: Type I interferon exposure of an implantation-on-a-chip device alters invasive extravillous trophoblast function. Cell Reports Medicine 6(3): 101991, Mar 2025.
Vazquez CV, Negatu SG, Bannerman C, Sriram S, Ming GL, Jurado KA: Antiviral immunity within neural stem cells distinguishes Enterovirus-D68 strain differences in forebrain organoids. Journal of Neuroinflammation 21(288), Nov 2024.
Andreeva L, Bosurgi L, Chong SZ, Chu C, Ge Y, Hoste E, Jurado KA, Lengefeld J, Mishra A, Wculek S, Young A: Women in STEM becoming independent: Our shared motivation and enthusiasm are our driving force. Journal of Experimental Medicine 221(8), Aug 2024.
Clements R, Negatu S, Kennedy EA, Song D, Campbell A, An HH, Amses KR, Miller-Ensminger T, Addison MM, Eisenlohr LC, Chou ST, and Jurado KA: Human erythroid progenitor’s express functional antigen presentation machinery. bioRxiv [Preprint] Jun 2024.
Griesman T, McMillen CM, Negatu SG, Hulahan JJ, Whig K, Dohnalová L, Dittmar M, Thaiss CA, Jurado KA, Schultz DC, Hartman AL, Cherry S: The lipopeptide Pam3CSK4 inhibits Rift Valley fever virus infection and protects from encephalitis. PLoS Pathogens 20(6), Jun 2024.
Wong AC, Devason AS, Umana IC, Cox TO, Dohnalová L, Litichevskiy L, Perla J, Lundgren P, Etwebi Z, Izzo LT, Kim J, Tetlak M, Descamps HC, Park SL, Wisser S, McKnight AD, Pardy RD, Kim J, Blank N, Patel S, Thum K, Mason S, Beltra JC, Michieletto MF, Ngiow SF, Miller BM, Liou MJ, Madhu B, Dmitrieva-Posocco O, Huber AS, Hewins P, Petucci C, Chu CP, Baraniecki-Zwil G, Giron LB, Baxter AE, Greenplate AR, Kearns C, Montone K, Litzky LA, Feldman M, Henao-Mejia J, Striepen B, Ramage H, Jurado KA, Wellen KE, O'Doherty U, Abdel-Mohsen M, Landay AL, Keshavarzian A, Henrich TJ, Deeks SG, Peluso MJ, Meyer NJ, Wherry EJ, Abramoff BA, Cherry S, Thaiss CA, Levy M: Serotonin reduction in post-acute sequelae of viral infection. Cell S0092-8674(23): 01034-6, Oct 2023.