Dr. Melody Swartz

Biography

Melody Swartz is the William B. Ogden Professor at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago, holding a joint appointment at the Department of Cancer Research. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from Johns Hopkins University and her PhD in Chemical Engineering from MIT. After completing postdoctoral work at Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women's Hospital, she began her independent career as an Assistant Professor at Northwestern University's Department of Biomedical Engineering before moving to the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), where she was eventually promoted to Full Professor and served as the Director of the Institute of Bioengineering. Prof. Swartz utilizes quantitative approaches across immunobiology and physiology to develop a deeper understanding of how the lymphatic system regulates immunity and homeostasis, particularly in the context of cancer and chronic inflammation. Her lab focuses on creating novel immunotherapeutic approaches to cancer, including lymph node-targeting vaccine strategies and in vitro models that replicate key features of the tumor-immune interface. Swartz's research has garnered significant recognition, including her election to the National Academy of Engineering in 2023 and the National Academy of Medicine in 2020, as well as being named a MacArthur Fellow in 2012.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards