Dr. Mitzi Nagarkatti is SmartState Endowed Chair of the Center for Cancer Drug Discovery as well as Carolina Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Dept. of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology (PMI), School of Medicine, University of South Carolina (USC). Dr. Nagarkatti’s research is broad-based and encompasses Immunotoxicology and Immunopharmacology. Some examples of her research include studying the effects of environmental pollutants such as TCDD on immune response, role of staphylococcal enterotoxin B in the induction of acute lung injury, and the effect of cannabinoids and other botanicals on inflammation. Dr. Nagarkatti has been the recipient of >$70 million in extramural funding as Principal Investigator (P.I.)/Co-P.I. to support the research in her lab since moving to USC in 2005. She is currently P.I. on 3 NIH R01 grants as well as Co-P.I. on 1 R01 and 2 NIH Center Grants. Dr. Nagarkatti has published ~350 scientific papers in high-impact journals and presented >600 research abstracts at conferences. She has trained >44 doctoral students, 29 postdoctoral fellows, 7 residents, 35 junior faculty, and 36 International Scholars. Besides being a Fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences, Dr. Nagarkatti is a Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS), Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, and Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. Dr. Nagarkatti is currently serving as the President of the Association of Medical School Microbiology and Immunology Chairs as well as on the Finance Committee of the American Association of Immunologists.
