Kelsey Stark

Kelsey is a fourth-year graduate student from Nebraska. She graduated with a B.S from Doane University in 2014 where she began her research career looking into the cancer stem cell theory and metastasis of prostate cancer. In 2019, she graduated from the University of Michigan earning a M.S. in Microbiology and Immunology. For her master's thesis, Kelsey studied host-microbiome interactions and the mucosal immune response during food allergic events. In addition to her studies, Kelsey has worked as a technician at Neogen Genomics, one of the largest agricultural sequencing companies in the world, and studied language and culture in Spain and France.

Kelsey is interested in the intersection of host immunology, neurobiology, the microbiome and disease. In particular, she is interested in anaphylaxis and how immunological mediators talk with neurons and affect its manifestation and severity.

Herman and Dorothy Miller Award 2024

Rackham Precandidate Grant 2023

Dr. David H. Smith Memorial Research Award 2014

Robert D. Muckel Tri Beta Biological Excellence Award 2013

Stark KG, Falkowski NR, McDonald RA, Huffnagle GB. Analysis of the mucosal immune response along the length of the gastrointestinal tract in a murine model of food allergy. GRC Food Allergy. January 7-12, 2024 Ventura, CA

Stark KG, Falkowski NR, McDonald RA, Huffnagle GB. Analysis of the mucosal immune response along the length of the gastrointestinal tract in a murine model of food allergy. GRS Food Allergy. January 6-7, 2024 Ventura, CA

Stark KG, Falkowski NR, Huffnagle GB. Differences in the physical housing environment can alter the gastrointestinal microbiome and alter type 2 immune response in a murine model of food allergy. ASM Microbe. July 15-19, 2023 Houston, TX

Stark KG, Falkowski NR, Huffnagle GB. Contribution of the microbiome, environment, and genetics to mucosal Type 2 immunity and anaphylaxis in a murine food allergy model. Annual Association for Immunologists Conference. May 6-10, 2022 Portland, OR

Falkowski NR, Stark KG, Erb-Downward JR, Brown CA, Hogan SP, Lukacs NW, Huffnagle GB. Multidimensional Analysis of Host-Microbiome Interactions in a Murine Model of IgE-Mediated Food Allergy. “Food Allergy Research in the Context of Mucosal Homeostasis and Immunity” Gordon Research Conference. January 5-10, 2020 Ventura, CA

Stark KG, Falkowski NR, McDonald RA, Huffnagle GB. Modulation of Mucosal Th2 Immunity in a Murine Model of IgE-Mediated Food Allergy. Candida and Candidiasis Research Conference. Previously Scheduled: April 19-23, 2020 - Rescheduled: March 21-27, 2021 Virtual Poster Presentation

Stark KG, Falkowski NR, Brown CA, McDonald RA, Huffnagle GB. Contribution of the Microbiome, Environment, and Genetics to Mucosal Type 2 Immunity and Anaphylaxis in a Murine Food Allergy Model. “Immunology 2022” American Association of Immunologists Annual Meeting. May 6-10, 2022 Portland, OR

Stark KG, Falkowski NR, Huffnagle GB. Gastrointestinal Dysbiosis and Augmentation of Mucosal Allergic Responses in a Murine Food Allergy Model. “8th Conference on Beneficial Microbes” July 10-14, 2022 Madison, WI

Zeise KD, Falkowski NR, Stark KG, Brown CA, Huffnagle GB. Profiling inflammatory outcomes of the gastric mucosal response to Candida albicans and food allergy induction in the murine glandular stomach. mBio 2024. Accepted.

Stark KG, Falkowski NR, Brown CA, McDonald RA, Huffnagle GB. Contribution of the Microbiome, Environment, and Genetics to Mucosal Type 2 Immunity and Anaphylaxis in a Murine Food Allergy Model. Frontiers in Allergy. 2022; 3. doi: 10.3389/falgy.2022.851993.

Hallworth R, Stark K, Zholudeva L, Currall BB, Nichols MG. The conserved tetrameric subunit stoichiometry of Slc26 proteins. Microsc Microanal. 2013 Aug;19(4):799-807. doi: 10.1017/S1431927613000457. Epub 2013 May 3. PMID: 23642772; PMCID: PMC3767988.

Kelsey enjoys any type of outdoor activity especially running, hiking, camping, fishing, and snowboarding. She also loves spending time with friends and family, yoga, soccer and trying new things.