Associate Professor

Dr. Gadjeva brings a unique blend of academic and industry expertise to her translational research, which focuses on understanding host–pathogen interactions through the integration of computational biology, systems immunology, spatial transcriptomics, and machine learning. Her work aims to identify druggable pathways and develop innovative therapeutic strategies for infectious diseases. Her laboratory demonstrated that small-molecule inhibition of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) reduces inflammation-induced tissue damage while preserving protective immune responses, providing proof of concept for host-directed therapies that aid tissue resilience. This work has led to patented therapeutics designed to complement conventional antimicrobial treatments. Dr. Gadjeva and her collaborators also pioneered the application of dual spatial transcriptomics to simultaneously profile host and pathogen responses during infection. This approach identified host biomarkers predictive of bacterial infection severity and uncovered novel pathogen virulence mechanisms. Her research has been recognized with awards for innovation and scientific excellence, including the IOSS Innovation Award, the FOCIS Meeting Award, the ARVO/AFER Merck Innovation Award for Innovative Research, and the Mass General Brigham Innovation Award.