People

Nicole Baumgarth is the Principal Investigator of the Baumgarth Lab. She joined Johns Hopkins in 2022 after working at the University of California for over 20 years and post-doctoral work in Australia and at Stanford University. Dr. Baumgarth’s research is focused on understanding how B cell–mediated protective immunity develops and is maintained and how Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, misdirects the adaptive immune response to establish persistence in natural reservoir species. She is also interested in the development, regulation and function of natural IgM and the B cell subsets that produce it.  Nicole loves the work by painters Joan Miro and Wassily Kandinsky. She is a consummate reader of novels and biographies, loves walking around the city, baking elaborate cakes and hanging out with her two adult kids. She hates being cold and drinks lots of tea to avoid it!

Heather joined the Baumgarth Lab in April of 2023 as Laboratory Manager.  She currently manages the lab and is involved in researching immunity to infections with Borrelia burgdorferi and to influenza virus. Before joining MMI Heather worked with the School of Medicine for over 20 years, always in the laboratory setting.  Outside of work Heather enjoys watching sports and going to the Baltimore Ravens and the Orioles home games. She also likes to spend her weekends playing golf or camping. 

Felipe is currently in a Post Doc in the Baumgarth Lab.  He completed his undergraduate studies at the Universidad Simon Bolivar Mexico as a Biologist and obtained his Master's and PhD in Cell biology in Centro de Investigacion y Estudios Avanzados del IPN (CINVESTV) Mexico working mainly in gut B cells immune responses.  Currently, he is working on identifying genes that affect antibody production, activation, and proliferation of B-1 cells, an interesting B cell subset which produce natural antibodies.  In his free time, Felipe enjoys playing sports, doing pottery, and watching films.

Antonio Cembellín Prieto is a postdoctoral fellow in the Baumgarth Lab. Originally from Spain, Antonio came to the United States to pursue an undergraduate degree in Biotechnology at Indiana University, supported by a full tennis scholarship as a Division I student-athlete. During his undergraduate years, he gained two and a half years of research experience in Dr. Cheng Kao’s lab, followed by a 3-month position as a junior specialist before starting his doctoral studies at the University of California, Davis, and the Bloomberg School.  Antonio is currently researching the role of B and T cell-derived acetylcholine in the immune response to Influenza A virus. In his free time, he enjoys outdoor activities, playing sports, traveling, and playing classical piano. He also has a passion for reading and writing.

Shilpa Sachan is currently a second-year Postdoctoral Fellow at the Bloomberg School. She completed her PhD at the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India. She has extensive experience in human immunology and has worked extensively with clinical samples. Her passion for research brought her to the United States. In the Baumgarth Lab, she is working to understand the mechanisms of immune factors influencing Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) infection. Her overarching goal is to bridge the gap between basic research findings and translational outcomes, contributing significantly to advancements in Lyme disease research and facilitating the development of novel therapeutic strategies.  In her free time, Shilpa enjoys watching movies, painting, and crafting. 

Beatriz is second-year PhD student in the Baumgarth Lab.  Originally from Brazil, Beatriz spent most of her life in London, England and came to the United States to start her undergraduate studies at Wake Forest University, where she got a Bachelors of Science degree in Biology with a focus in Biochemistry. During a gap year, she got to work in the front lines of the pandemic in London by testing symptomatic patients at the hospital and vaccinating them against Covid, which led her to completely change her original career path and apply for a Master’s degree at Johns Hopkins to study infectious diseases. As a Master's student, Beatriz did her research work in the lab of Dr. Anna Durbin, where she worked on the evaluation of a recently-developed Dengue tetravalent vaccine, and this is  where she fell in love with vaccine immunology.  Confident that this was something she wanted to work with for the rest of her life, Beatriz applied for the PhD program in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, doing her dissertation work in the Baumgarth Lab.  Her research explores the potential influence that extrafollicular B-cell responses might have on germinal center dynamics and long-term immune memory. With this work, Beatriz hopes to gain a deeper understanding of early B cell activation events, and use these events in our favor for the potential exploitation of TLR-mediated adjuvants to strengthen vaccine memory responses. In her free time she love to kayak, hike, try new restaurants with friends, and travel.  

Xindi Zou is a second-year ScM student in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. She earned her B.S. degree in Biology (Cell and Molecular Biology) from Wenzhou-Kean University (WKU) in Zhejiang, China, and had the opportunity to be an exchange student at Kean University in New Jersey, USA. During her undergraduate studies, Xindi also served as the Chief Marketing Officer of the Student Ambassador organization, planning activities both inside and outside the school. At WKU, Xindi conducted experimental research on bacteria under the supervision of Dr. Bo Zhang, focusing on the role of bacteria in atopic dermatitis and the bioengineering of Bacillus subtilis in natto.  Now at the Bloomberg School, she is researching the B-cell receptor signaling pathway, and the differences in B-1 cell differentiation and maturation between wild-type and PP2A-/- mice in the Baumgarth Lab. Outside of the lab, Xindi is an open water diver and enjoys a variety of water sports, including surfing. In addition, she loves traveling, playing guitar, making desserts, and watching musicals and anime in her spare time. She recently adopted a tuxedo kitten named Umi.

Mina Akter grew up in Bangladesh, where she completed her Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy. She then pursued my Master's in Pharmaceutical Sciences at South Dakota State University . Currently, Mina is working as a research lab technician in the Baumgarth Lab.   She has a deep interest in science and research, and enjoys thinking in a scientific way and solving complex problems. Mina is always eager to take on challenges and overcome them. In her free time,  she loves traveling to new places and exploring different cultures around the world.