Dr. Michael Betts

Biography

Michael R. Betts is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from the University of Maryland in 1990 and his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of North Carolina in 1998. His research focuses on human immune responses, particularly in the context of viral immunology and HIV immunopathogenesis. Betts' lab studies the functionality of human T lymphocytes and their role in controlling and eliminating viral pathogens, with a specific emphasis on CD8+ T cell responses to HIV. His work employs advanced techniques such as polychromatic flow cytometry to simultaneously analyze multiple parameters of T cell function. Betts is interested in understanding the mechanisms that guide T cell fate and the functional characteristics of T cells specific to HIV, especially within the complexity of human immune responses to various pathogens. His lab also investigates vaccine-induced immune responses and the immunological control of infectious diseases, contributing important insights into potential vaccine development against viral infections.

Research Interests