Penn Postdocs in the News: Nikhila Shree Tanneti, Ph.D., awarded Hartwell Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship
Penn Postdoctoral Fellow Nikki Tanneti receives Hartwell Foundation Fellowship for pediatric coronavirus research
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Nikhila Shree “Nikki” Tanneti, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, has been selected for a Hartwell Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship. Working in the laboratory of Susan R. Weiss, Ph.D., Dr. Tanneti studies coronavirus infection and host immune responses, with a particular focus on understanding how respiratory infections differ between children and adults.
Dr. Tanneti joined the Weiss Lab in July 2020. Her Penn research has examined molecular differences among SARS-CoV-2 variants, patient-specific models of coronavirus infection, and the neurological consequences of coronavirus infections. Her work has included collaborations with Noam Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., and researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
For her Hartwell project, Dr. Tanneti proposed developing a pediatric patient-derived nasal epithelial model to investigate SARS-CoV-2 infection and innate immune responses. By comparing infection in pediatric and adult nasal cells, the research seeks to identify biological mechanisms unique to children and provide a foundation for treatments better tailored to pediatric patients.
Dr. Tanneti earned a joint Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Neuroscience from Princeton University, where she studied with Lynn Enquist, Ph.D., investigating the mechanisms governing herpesvirus infection and neuronal spread. She earned her B.A. in Genetics and Microbiology from Rutgers University, where her undergraduate research examined chromosome recombination and segregation during meiosis.
Dr. Tanneti was one of two Penn postdoctoral researchers selected for Hartwell support alongside Elizabeth Kennedy, Ph.D. Their selection continued The Hartwell Foundation’s longstanding support of early-career biomedical researchers at Penn.
We are proud to celebrate Dr. Tanneti and her work to deepen our understanding of respiratory viral infections and children’s health.