Hometown: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Faculty mentor: Ali Jabbari, MD, PhD, professor, Department of Dermatology, Carver College of Medicine
Degree program and anticipated graduation date: PhD in Immunology, Spring 2025

Sam Connell is uncovering the role of T cells, a type of white blood cell, in the development of the autoimmune disease Alopecia areata. The primary symptom of Alopecia areata, which affects 7 million Americans, is hair loss. While normally very few T cells are found around the hair follicle, researchers see a large infiltration of T cells surrounding and targeting the hair follicle in patients with Alopecia areata. Connell is working to identify the specific mechanisms T cells use to target the hair follicles, allowing researchers to better understand how the disease develops and identify more effective therapeutics.

After graduation, Connell plans to seek a postdoctoral fellowship and eventually a research faculty role at an academic institution. He plans to continue exploring the drivers of autoimmune diseases to find better therapeutics for the patients.

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