Dr. Barbara Kee

Biography

Barbara Lynne Kee is a Professor in the Biological Sciences Division at the University of Chicago. Her research focuses on the molecular transcriptional mechanisms that govern immune cell development and function, with particular emphasis on processes influencing innate and adaptive immunity and leukemogenesis. Her work investigates lineage-specific transcriptional programs and how disruptions to these programs can lead to immune deficiencies, autoimmunity, and cancers, specifically acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The laboratory's major focus is transcription factors and antagonists, especially E proteins, which are critical regulators of lymphoid cell types, including B cells, T cells, and natural killer cells. Using genetic and genomic approaches, her group has elucidated the roles of key factors such as E2A, Notch1, and ETS family proteins in lymphocyte fate decisions and functional maturation, contributing significantly to the understanding of the networks that impact immune responses to infection and cancer, as well as mechanisms driving leukemic transformation. Current research includes a focus on the transcriptional programs that drive effective anti-tumor immune responses in natural killer cells.

Research Interests

Experience