Departmental Affiliations
Contact Info
Research Interests
Immunology; vaccines; MIP3alpha; CCL20; cancer vaccine; therapeutic vaccine; mycobacterium tuberculosis; SARS-CoV2; Interferon alpha; vaccine immunology; teaching; pedagogy; RelTb; DNA vaccine; RNA vaccine;
Experiences & Accomplishments
I am currently an Assistant Research Professor at Johns ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ in the MMI department. Trained in molecular microbiology and immunology, I have developed a keen interest in the development of augmented vaccines that target antigen to immature dendritic cells in order to achieve more robust immunity. Specifically, my dissertation studied the effects and immunological mechanisms of a novel anti-cancer vaccine platform in a mouse cancer model. This platform fused the chemokine Macrophage Inflammatory Protein 3-alpha (MIP3a) to melanoma associated antigen(s) of interest. MIP3a targets the antigen to immature dendritic cells via interaction with its receptor CCR6. In addition to the cancer model, my interests have broadened to include infectious disease models such as SARS-CoV-2, malaria, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). I have been collaborating with Petros Karakousis in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine for several years working on a vaccine fusing MIP3a to Rel from Mtb. Rel is a primary mediator of the stringent response pathway, necessary for Mtb persistence. We have shown that combining a DNA vaccine to Rel during isoniazid treatment greatly enhances the efficacy of the therapy. Fusing MIP3a to Rel has been shown recently to further reduce Mtb burden in the mouse challenge model. I am also interested in studying the sex difference that has been seen in efficacy of the Mtb vaccine system, as well as studying more in depth immunological mechanisms of the immune enhancement consistently seen with MIP3a fusion. In addition to the laboratory, I have keen interests in teaching and with new efforts in science diplomacy.
Honors & Awards
2023-2025: Excellence in Teaching for Techniques in Molecular Biology course
2024: Fisher Center Discovery Award
2022: Johns Hopkins Specialized Center for Research Excellence in Sex Differences seed grant recipient
2017-2018: Towson University Collaborative Teaching Fellow
2017: Postdoctoral Retreat Oral Presentation, Johns Hopkins Postdoctoral Association
2017: Scholar-in-Training Award, American Association of Cancer Research
2016-2017: American Society for Microbiology Teaching Fellow
2015: Delta Omega Scholar, Delta Omega, Alpha Chapter
2015-2016: Gordis Teaching Fellow, Johns Hopkins University
2013: Bliss Fellowship, MMI Department
2012: Dr. Harry J Lawler Award Fund, MMI Department
2008: Phi Beta Kappa Inductee, Phi Beta Kappa
2008: CURO Scholar, Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities at the University of Georgia
2008: Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award, University of Georgia
Select Publications
The following publications give an indication of the breadth of research that I am involved in.
Gordy J.T., Bates R.E., Meza J., Li Y., Glass E., Taylor A.D., Schill, C., Wang, T., Chen, F., Plunkett, K., Karanika, S., Karakousis P.C., Markham R.B. MIP3α-antigen fusion DNA vaccine enhances inherent sex differences in tuberculosis model and alters dendritic cell activity early post vaccination. Research Square (2025) doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5663995/v1.
Yanik S., Venkatesh V., Gordy J.T., Alameh M-G., Meza J., Li Y., Glass E., Flores-Garcia Y., Tam Y., Chaiyawong N., Sarkar D., Weissman D., Markham, R.B., Srinivasan P. iDC-Targeting PfCSP mRNA Vaccine Confers Superior Protection against Plasmodium Compared to Conventional mRNA. npj Vaccines (2025), 10, 34, doi:10.1038/s41541-025-01089-x.
Gordy, J.T., Hui, Y., Schill, C., Wang, T., Chen, F., Fessler, K., Meza, J., Li. Y., Taylor, A.D., Bates, R.E., Karakousis, P.C., Pekosz, A., Sachithanandham, J., Li., M., Karanika, S., and Markham R.B. A SARS-CoV-2 RBD Vaccine Fused to the Chemokine MIP-3α Elicits Sustained Murine Antibody Responses over 12 Months and Enhanced Lung T Cell Responses. Front Immunol (2024) 15:1292059. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1292059
Gordy, J.T., Sandhu, A.K., Fessler, K., Luo, K., Kapoor, A.R., Ayeh, S.K., Hui, Y., Schill, C., Chen, F., Wang, T., Karanika, S., Sunshine, J.C., Karakousis, P.C., and R.B. Markham. IFNα and 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine combined with a dendritic-cell targeting DNA vaccine alter tumor immune cell infiltration in the B16F10 melanoma model. Frontiers Immunology (2023) 13:1074644. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1074644
Karanika, S., Gordy, J.T., Neupane, P., Karantanos, T., Castillo, J.R., Quijada, D., Comstock, K.*, Sandhu, A.K.*, Kapoor, A.R.*, Hui, Y.*, Ayeh, S.K.*, Tasneen, R., Krug, S., Danchik, S., Wang, T.*, Schill, C.*, Markham, R, and P.C. Karakousis. An intranasal stringent response vaccine targeting dendritic cells as a novel adjunctive therapy against tuberculosis. Frontiers Immunology (2022) 13, 972266.