WFUWake Forest University · Microbiology & Immunology
Haas Lab
Karen M Haas · Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Research Focus
Dr. Karen M. Haas leads a research lab focused on understanding how aging and biological sex influence the immune response to pneumococcal vaccines, particularly in elderly populations. Her work aims to identify why older adults, especially males and females, respond differently to vaccines against Streptococcus pneumoniae, a bacterium responsible for serious infections. By studying these differences, her lab seeks to improve vaccine design to effectively protect this at-risk group against pneumonia and other complications.
Streptococcus pneumoniaehumoral immunitypneumococcal vaccinesagingsex differencesB cellsvaccine responseimmunologyantibody formationpneumonia
Research Aims
3AIM 01Explore how age and hormones affect B cell development and function in older adults.
AIM 02Investigate differences in natural antibody production between elderly males and females.
AIM 03Assess the impact of sex on mucosal immunity against pneumococcal infections.
Skills the Lab Values
B cell characterizationmouse modelshormone assaysimmunological assaysantibody titer measurementcell culturedata analysis using statistical softwareflow cytometryvaccine efficacy assessment
Output against the department
Publications110bottom 41% of dept.287th of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations5.7kbottom 42% of dept.280th of 486
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.