Departmental Affiliations
Nicole Baumgarth, DVM, PhD, leads efforts of the BSPH to eliminate threats from tickborne diseases, such as Lyme, and studies why some immune responses to infections are successful and others are not.
Research Interests
Antibodies; B cell subsets; B-1 cells; Borrelia burgdorferi; host-pathogen interaction; host response; humoral immunity; Immunology; immunity; influenza virus; Lyme Disease.
Additional Links
Experiences & Accomplishments
Nicole Baumgarth, DVM PhD, is an Immunologist who studies immunity to infections with Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, and to influenza virus. She is the inaugural director of the Lyme and Tickborne Diseases Research and Education Institute.
Honors & Awards
Chair, Cell and Molecular Immunology B (CMIB), NIH Study Section. 2022- – 2023
Neil L. Spector Memorial Award (International Lyme and Associated Diseases. Educational Foundation- ILADEF). 2021
Elected member, AAI Publication Committee. 2021 - 2024
Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). 2019
Standing Member and Vice-Chair, Cell and Molecular Immunology B (CMIB), NIH Study Section. 2019 – 2022
Lauren Brooks Hope Award (Global Lyme Alliance). 2018.
Zoetis Excellence in Research Award (School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis). 2018
Standing Member & Chair, Scientific and Technical Review Board on Biomedical and Behavioral Research Facilities (STOD) NIH Study Section. 2015 – 2018
Standing Member, Infection and Host Defense (IHD) NIH Study Section. 2008 - 2012
UC Davis Chancellor’s Fellow. 2007
"Young Scientist Award" awarded at the meeting: Options for the control of Influenza III.1996
Post-doctoral fellow,“Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft“ 1990 – 1992
Carl Norden Prize for most outstanding research during postgraduate program of Veterinary Science. 1989
Gerhard Bohne 2. Prize German Federal Award for best assay in Theology (“Theology of Karl Bart”). 1982
Select Publications
Selected recent publications:
B-1 plasma cells require non-cognate CD4 T cell help to generate a unique repertoire of natural IgM. Fauna L. Smith Hannah P. Savage, Zheng Luo, Christopher M. Tipton, F. Eun-Hyung Lee, April Apostol, Anna E. Beaudin, Diego Lopez, Ingvill Jensen, Stefan Keller, and Nicole Baumgarth. 2023. J Exp Med, in press. doi:10.1084/jem.20220195
Toll-like receptor mediated inflammation directs B cells towards protective antiviral extrafollicular responses. 2023. Jonathan H. Lam and Nicole Baumgarth. https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2226474/v1. Under revision.
The Shaping of a B Cell Pool Maximally Responsive to Infections. 2021. Nicole Baumgarth. Annu Rev Immunol 2021;39:103-129. doi:10.1146/annurev-immunol-042718-041238.
The IgM receptor FcmuR limits tonic BCR signaling by regulating expression of the IgM BCR. 2017. Trang T Nguyen, Kathrin Klasener, C. Zurn, Patricia Castillo, Ingrid Brust-Mascher, Denise M Imai, Charles L. Bevins, Colin Reardon, Michael Reth, Nicole Baumgarth. Nat Immunol.18:321-333. doi:10.1038/ni.3677
Rebecca A Elsner, Christine J. Hastey, Kimberly J. Olsen, Nicole Baumgarth. 2015 Suppression of Long-Lived Humoral Immunity Following Borrelia burgdorferi Infection. PLoS Pathog. 11:e1004976.doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004976