University of Chicago · Microbiology & ImmunologyThe Immune Engineering Lab
Dominique Missiakas · Chicago, Illinois
Research Focus
Dr. Dominique Missiakas leads a research lab that focuses on developing new immune therapeutics, particularly monoclonal antibodies, to combat infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, a serious human pathogen. The lab studies the mechanisms that bacteria use to evade the immune system and works on engineering antibodies to enhance their effectiveness. Additionally, the lab is involved in the management and application of BSL3 (Biosafety Level 3) lab practices to safely research emerging infectious diseases and bioterrorism threats.
monoclonal antibodiesStaphylococcus aureusimmune therapeuticsbacterial infectionsbiosafetyinfectious disease researchphagocytosisantigen presentationimmune evasionbiocontainment
Research Aims
5AIM 01Develop monoclonal antibodies against Staphylococcus aureus to enhance immune response.
AIM 02Investigate the roles of specific bacterial surface proteins in immune evasion.
AIM 03Compare antibody efficacy in reducing bacterial replication in diverse models.
AIM 04Implement safe BSL3 laboratory practices for infectious disease research.
AIM 05Train personnel in biocontainment and pathogen research methodologies.
Skills the Lab Values
monoclonal antibody engineeringblood stream infection modelsBSL3 laboratory practicescell culture techniquesanimal modelsimmunological assaysantibody characterizationpathogen isolationviral assaysstandard operating procedures development
Output against the department
Publications301top 16% of dept.79th of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations17ktop 23% of dept.110th of 486
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.