Ashley Moseman, PhD, assistant professor of integrative immunobiology, has been named a 2025 recipient of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Investigators in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease award. Moseman’s project will explore how the brain-invading amoeba Naegleria fowleri interacts with the olfactory system to uncover new insights into immune defense mechanisms at this critical neural interface.
This award provides $505,000 over a period of five years to support accomplished investigators at the assistant professor level to study pathogenesis, with a focus on the interplay between infectious agents and their hosts, shedding light on how both are affected by their encounters.
Moseman’s work focuses on the unique immunological challenges of the olfactory neuroepithelium — a site where neurons directly interface with the external environment. By leveraging advanced imaging techniques and pathogen models, he aims to illuminate how immune responses are tailored to protect the central nervous system without compromising sensory function.