Dr. Charu Kaushic holds many positions at McMaster University. She is a Professor in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine (CAWAR), an Associate Member of the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a Member of the McMaster Immunology Research Center and the Institute of Infections Disease Research. Additionally, is the Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity.

Dr. Kaushic completed her Bachelor of Science (Honors) and Masters in Zoology in Delhi University. She obtained her Ph.D. in Immunology in the National Institute of Immunology and her post-doctoral training in Mucosal Immunology in the Dartmouth Medical School.

Her research interests are primarily in women’s reproductive health and mucosal immunity to sexually transmitted pathogens. Her current research projects focus on interactions with the female genital tract and sexually transmitted pathogens, herpes simplex virus, type 2 and HIV-1. She focuses on the innate immunity and mucosal microenvironment in the female genital tract and factors including co-infections, seminal plasma, microbiome and female sex hormones that influence the immune responses and outcome of infection. Her overall goal is to develop and improve prophylactic strategies such as microbicides and vaccines to sexually transmitted pathogens.

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