Nov 3, 2020
Today's episode of Redefining Medicine features Robyn S. Klein. Dr. Robyn S. Klein received her M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She then completed her internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital, her fellowship in Infectious Diseases at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and post-doctoral training in Immunology at Harvard University. Dr. Klein joined the Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) in 2003, where she developed neuroimmunology basic and translational science research programs focused on the pathogenesis of neuroinflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). Studies in the Klein laboratory focus on cellular and molecular mechanisms that orchestrate inflammation and CNS dysfunction during both viral and autoimmune encephalitides. The experimental approach involves the development of in vitro and in vivo models of blood-brain barrier function to study the CNS entry of viruses and mononuclear cells, and of the signaling responses that regulate vascular permeability. Studies using in vivo models for both autoimmune and WNV encephalitides focus on identifying the localizing cues that control leukocyte entry, persistent inflammation and neuronal injury. Dr. Klein is currently the Associate Dean for Graduate Education in the Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences and Director of the Center for Neuroimmunology & Neuroinfectious Diseases at WUSM and Vice Provost of Washington University in St. Louis, MO.