By Sophie Wu and Veronica Villanueva
Dr. Lena Al-Harthi is a scientist who wears many hats.
She is a professor and chair in the Department of Microbial Pathogens at Rush Medical College. She also heads the division of translational science, which administers all biomedical education programs including the PhD program at Rush, and is a Vice Dean of Research, all while overseeing her robust research laboratory. Dr. Al-Harthi also mentors students, post docs, and junior faculty. She has many responsibilities, but they don’t feel overwhelming or overbearing. At the core of her work is a balance between her passion for science and her commitment to advancing excellence in research and education at Rush.
Al-Harthi’s love for science can be traced back to an advanced biology class she took in high school when she dissected a pig. She learned that although she didn’t prefer working with animals, she loved studying biology. Al-Harthi did not have early exposure to scientists or a clear picture of what life as a scientist looked like. Because of this, she strives to be a strong role model and works to share her experiences with early-career scientists and even high school students through outreach and internships at Rush.
Dr. Al-Harthi earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology from George Washington University. Through her doctoral program, she conducted her dissertation research in the laboratory of Dr. Robert Gallo at the National Institutes of Health, a co-discoverer of HIV as the cause of AIDS. Her Ph.D. training focused on HIV virology, where she learned the importance of asking meaningful scientific questions. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship that expanded her expertise into HIV immunology, complementing her virology background. As the field advanced and HIV treatments improved, her research evolved to address long-term comorbid conditions, including HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). This multidisciplinary training across virology, immunology, and neuroscience reflects her ability to adapt, think strategically, and pivot her research to address emerging scientific challenges, an approach that continues to shape her work today.
Dr. Al-Harthi approaches problem-solving strategically and applies this mindset to how she leads her programs, with a strong emphasis on collaboration and team culture. She believes that working with great people and building strong teams is essential for success and values the opportunity to work alongside outstanding colleagues.
Dr. Al-Harthi loves her work.
She enjoys working in a field centered on problem-solving alongside people who are driven to advance foundational knowledge to improve healthcare. Research is not always easy, lab environments change, grants go unfunded, and papers are rejected, but she emphasizes the importance of staying focused and persistent.
Her research focuses on virus–host interactions in the brain, with particular attention to HIV and, more recently, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). A major goal of her lab is to understand why inflammation in the brain can persist in people living with HIV, even in the era of effective treatment. Much of this work centers on astrocytes, support cells that help maintain a healthy brain environment and influence how brain cells respond to injury and infection.
Dr. Al-Harthi’s lab has identified key pathways in astrocytes that become disrupted during infection, including β-catenin signaling. Her work has shown that β-catenin plays an important role in HIV latency and also influences mechanisms linked to neuroinflammation and disease. To study these questions, her team uses advanced models such as “brain-in-a-dish” systems known as brain organoids, along with humanized mouse models and clinical samples when appropriate. Her group also studies immune responses in COVID-19, including autoantibodies and factors that may contribute to neurocognitive symptoms.
Her work was highlighted in multiple institutional, national, and international research newsletters and was also recognized by Dr. Francis Collins, former Director of the National Institutes of Health, on his Twitter account (now X). This recognition occurred during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic and was especially meaningful, as it fostered a sense of human connection through scientific exchange. The work demonstrated how HIV can move from the brain to peripheral tissues, highlighting the brain as an important HIV reservoir and the role of immune cells in viral trafficking
Dr. Al-Harthi is a mentor to many.
Dr. Al-Harthi continues to mentor students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty, and places strong importance on creating supportive and inclusive research environments. One of her most proud achievement is securing multiple NIH training grants to mentor graduate students at Rush Medical College. She is also proud of the growth and development of her lab and of maintaining consistent funding for her research and publishing prolifically.
Dr. Al-Harthi spoke about confronting obstacles, explaining that she does not see challenges as setbacks but as opportunities to grow. She approaches difficult situations by breaking them down into clear, manageable steps, emphasizing that progress comes from action and focus.
One message she shared, especially with future women in STEM, was to not compare yourself to others, since everyone’s goals and trajectories are different. She pointed out that social media often highlights the best moments and not the struggles, and encouraged trainees to stay in their lane and focus on their own progress.
She concluded by emphasizing that science is challenging, and success requires resilience, collaboration, and knowing when to pause and reset. Everyone’s path in science is different, and progress comes from staying focused, adaptable, and open to growth.