Dr. Marcia Goldberg

Biography

Marcia Goldberg is a Professor in the Medicine Department at Harvard Medical School, specializing in Microbiology. Her research examines the molecular nature of innate immune interactions with microbial pathogens and hosts. She focuses on the complex mechanisms pathogenic bacteria have evolved to subvert host cell immune responses and the host cell signaling pathways involved. Her work particularly addresses bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as a significant factor in lethal infections like sepsis. Goldberg investigates how innate immune responses are activated by bacterial LPS and the molecular mechanisms by which secreted bacterial proteins modify host proteins to divert immune signaling pathways. Her studies have revealed important insights into the roles of caspases-4, -5 in human inflammation and the absence of specific pattern recognition receptors in mouse models, shedding light on immune dysfunction during severe infections. She leads a multidisciplinary team aiming to identify transcriptional signatures linked to sepsis through innovative approaches such as single-cell RNA sequencing, uncovering new immune cell states that contribute to dysregulation during severe bacterial infections and COVID-19.

Research Interests

Experience