Andrew Simonson, PhD

Research Interests

During undergrad, Dr. Simonson studied wound healing, regenerative medicine and drug delivery in the lab of Dr. Yong Wang. For his graduate studies, Dr. Simonson joined the lab of Dr. Scott Medina, where he focused on the development of anti-mycobacterial peptides capable of selectively disrupting mycomembranes while leaving host cells and commensals unharmed. In parallel, he designed biomaterials for co-delivery of these compounds directly to the lung alongside traditional antibiotics for synergistic therapy. Dr. Simonson joined the TB Research Group for his postdoctoral fellowship to investigate immune mechanisms of protection during vaccination and concomitant infection, primarily focusing on CD8+ T and NK populations. 

The Simonson lab started at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2025. We integrate in vivo (NHP) models with ex vivo and in vitro systems to characterize immune mechanisms that confer rapid protection against Mtb and can be leveraged to develop improved prophylactics and/or host-directed therapeutics. We are excited to combine our immunologic and model expertise with novel approaches to explore TB immunity and improve interventions. Connect with us to discuss potential collaborations!

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Early Host-Pathogen Interactions in TB

Our primary research interest is defining early host-pathogen interactions in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection not captured by classical protein-centric paradigms of adaptive immunity. Most new vaccine platforms have centered on identifying immunogenic peptide antigens that conventional MHC-restricted T cells respond to during late stages of infection. However, unconventional T cell populations with highly conserved TCRs can expand rapidly during the earliest stages of infection. T cell subsets (MAIT, NKT, GEM, etc) that recognize non-peptide antigens represent an under-explored axis of immune surveillance that could elicit rapid and localized immunity. Since Mtb possesses a unique lipid-rich cell wall, CD1b presentation of lipid antigens is uniquely suited to mycobacterial biology.

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Innovative Therapeutic Approaches

Beyond vaccine strategies, our group remains interested in therapeutic innovation as a complementary strategy to reduce TB morbidity and mortality. Specifically, we are interested in exploring how novel therapeutics might shorten treatment duration, reduce patient burden, and mitigate the impact of drug-resistant TB. ​