Current:
PhD Candidate, Molecular Biosciences PhD Program
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Past:
MS, Genetics, Kazan State University
BS, Biomedical Sciences, Damascus University

Herrera Lab Research Interests:
La Crosse virus (LACV) is the most common cause of mosquito-borne pediatric encephalitis in the U.S., yet little is known about how the immune system—especially T cells—controls this neuroinvasive threat. Reem’s PhD research tackles this critical knowledge gap by investigating how age shapes adaptive immune responses to LACV using a mouse model that mirrors the heightened vulnerability of children. By uncovering why young hosts fail to mount protective immunity, Reem aims to identify immunological targets that could guide the design of vaccines tailored to protect the most at-risk populations—children and adolescents.