Weidang Li, M.D., Ph.D.

Sexually transmitted diseases caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, an intracellular bacterial pathogen, affect approximately 90 million people worldwide. In untreated women, these infections cause serious sequelae such as pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy, often resulting in infertility. The development of a vaccine against Chlamydia is thought to be the ideal solution to prevent reproductive pathologies. Our projects investigate the mechanism of CD8 T cell-mediated Chlamydia-induced reproductive pathology. My research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of chlamydial pathogenesis and preventing them. We use Chlamydia reproductive tract infection models to clarify which immune mechanisms are protective and which are pathogenic. We also try to identify important biomarkers that could be used for the early identification of impending disease sequelae.