HIV-associated lymphomas are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV and remain a barrier to achieving an HIV cure. Dr. Ostermeier will investigate the ability of autologous HIV-specific cell therapeutics (HST-NEETs) to reduce the viral reservoir in patients with HIV-associated lymphomas from a clinical trial. She will determine whether HST-NEETs engineered to express a highly specific receptor, known as a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), exhibit enhanced HIV-specific killing and simultaneous lymphoma clearance. Ultimately, she aims to develop a curative therapy that can target both HIV and HIV-associated lymphomas.
Dr. Ostermeier is a postdoctoral fellow with expertise in HIV and immunobiology. She recently received her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from George Washington University.