Team

Dr. Harm HogenEsch is Professor in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine. He grew up in the Netherlands and earned his DVM degree cum laude from the University of Utrecht in 1984. He did his graduate training in immunology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign under the mentorship of Dr. Peter Felsburg, and received his PhD in 1989. He is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists since 1989. After working as staff scientist at the TNO Institute for Aging and Vascular Research in Leiden, the Netherlands, he joined Purdue University in 1993 and was promoted to Professor in 2001. He has published over 140 peer-reviewed journal articles and 18 book chapters. He has trained 18 graduate students and post-docs.

Delilah is a sophomore honors college student majoring in microbiology with a minor in biotechnology. She joined the HogenEsch lab as a freshman and is currently working to develop an immunocontraceptive vaccine to control wildlife populations. Delilah hopes to pursue a PhD in immunology and infectious disease and eventually have a career as a researcher.

Nick is a PhD student interested in vaccine development and adjuvant mechanisms of action. research focuses on how squalene-based emulsion adjuvants shape innate immune responses. He studies these effects using human immune cell models, combining approaches like flow cytometry, cytokine profiling, metabolomics and proteomics to understand how these formulations drive immune activation. Through this work, he developed a strong interest in immunology and translational vaccine design. Outside of the lab, Nick enjoys coffee, concerts, and going to the gym.

Varisra completed her BSc in Animal Sciences at Purdue University. She joined Dr. HogenEsch's lab as a graduate student to pursue her interest in immunology and reproduction. Varisra is currently working to develop an immunocontraceptive vaccine to control wildlife populations.