Dr. Mary Markert

Biography

Mary Louise Markert is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Pediatrics at Duke University. She specializes in research related to congenital athymia, a condition characterized by the absence of thymus function and its impact on T cell development. Her pioneering work focuses on utilizing cultured thymus tissue implantation to aid children suffering from this condition, which has been linked to various syndromes such as 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and DiGeorge syndrome. Dr. Markert's innovative studies have shown that a significant percentage of patients receiving postnatal cultured thymus tissue implants develop functional T cells. Throughout her career, she has actively contributed to the field of pediatric immunology, advancing knowledge on thymus transplantation and tolerance induction in organ transplants. Dr. Markert has been affiliated with Duke University for her education and professional career, holding degrees of M.D. and Ph.D. from the institution. Apart from her research contributions, she has served in multiple academic positions within the Department of Immunology and Pediatrics, holding the title of Director of the Clinical Research Unit. Her work has been recognized with several NIH grants supporting her research initiatives.

Research Interests