University of Iowa · BiologyMalaria Immunity and Vaccination Group
John T Harty · Iowa City, Iowa
Research Focus
Dr. John T. Harty's lab focuses on understanding how malaria impacts the immune system, particularly how prior exposure to the disease can hinder effective vaccination. The research primarily investigates CD8 T cell responses and the role of hemozoin, a byproduct of malaria infection, in compromising these immune responses. By studying these mechanisms, the lab aims to improve vaccine efficacy against malaria, especially in regions where the disease is endemic.
malariaT cell immunityvaccine developmenthemozoinCD8 T cellsimmunization strategiesliver-stage malariaPlasmodium speciesimmune response
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate the mechanisms by which hemozoin disrupts T cell priming during vaccination.
AIM 02Explore the role of liver resident memory T cells in providing immunity against malaria.
AIM 03Evaluate translatable immunization strategies to optimize vaccine responses in malaria-endemic populations.
Skills the Lab Values
cell culturemouse modelsimmunological assaysflow cytometryPCRantigen presentation techniquesvaccine design and testingdata analysisexperimental designtissue analysis
Output against the department
Publications313top 17% of dept.179th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations18ktop 22% of dept.231st of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.