LaDaisha Thompson is captivated by the immune system. To her, it is a hidden universe within our bodies comprised of an intricate network of cells that communicate, patrol, and respond to threats, all without us even realizing it on a consciousness level. According to Thompson, it is a system that mirrors human life in so many ways: it learns, it adapts, and it also ages.

Thompson always loved innovation, STEM topics and activities, and helping others, but it was her father who encouraged her to consider engineering as a career after he met a successful woman engineer and believed his daughter would enjoy a similar profession. Thompson would go on to attend an engineering focused high school and study chemical engineering as an undergraduate at Howard University.

Her experience at Howard University influenced her interest in health and immunology. But her interest in T cell behavior and immune aging took shape when she met her PhD advisor, Jude Phillip, core researcher at the Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology and assistant professor of biomedical engineering. The two researchers explored ways Thomspon could merge her interests in immunology and engineering to support human health.

Now a fourth year PhD student in biomedical engineering, Thompson is studying how our immune system influences cell aging and she is looking for ways to define and measure that influence. By mapping patterns on a cellular level, Thompson is connecting how microscopic changes in cells shape the overall health of a person.

What are you researching?
I study T cells, a type of white blood cell that plays an important role in our immune system. These cells have many responsibilities that keep us healthy such as patrolling our bodies for harmful bacteria and viruses, destroying damaging microbes and cancer cells, coordinating immune responses, and preventing the immune system from attacking healthy cells. They are incredibly efficient at their job, but as we age, they become less effective. They move more slowly, communicate less efficiently, and don’t respond as well to threats. This decline makes us more susceptible to infections and diseases.

A major focus of immunology research is figuring out how to identify and improve these dysfunctional T cells because current methods for doing this are often expensive, time-consuming, and unreliable. I’m developing a system that mimics the natural stressors T cells experience in the body, experiences such as infections and autoimmune disorders, to examine how they affect a T cell’s ability to move and function. Using in vitro experiments, advanced microscopy, and computational modeling, I can analyze T cell behavior, and pinpoint which cells are dysfunctional. Understanding these patterns can help researchers develop strategies to boost immune resilience—especially in older adults—ultimately leading to better health outcomes.

What are the challenges to studying dysfunctional T cells?
One of the biggest challenges in this field is accounting for the vast diversity among people. Every person’s immune system is shaped by a unique combination of genetics, lifestyle, and environmental exposures. That makes it difficult to generalize and draw broad conclusions about the aging immune system and define the causes of dysfunctional immune cells. To truly understand these processes in a way that benefits everyone, we need to study a diverse range of people, which isn’t always easy. Another challenge is that immune responses are incredibly complex and dynamic. The same cell type can behave differently depending on the conditions it encounters, and those subtle variations can be difficult to measure and interpret using traditional methods.

What are you doing to try to overcome these challenges?
The Phillip lab has developed a single-cell method that incorporates computational modeling to analyze T cells. It allows us to study immune cell functions at a finer level of detail and make more accurate predictions. Additionally, we prioritize studying diverse samples instead of lumping patients into broad categories. We appreciate the individuality that exists within a single person’s immune system, and this approach helps us uncover patterns that might be missed if we only looked at population-level data. By refining our techniques and broadening our study populations, we aim to make our findings more applicable to a wider range of people.

What are the possible impacts of this research?
Aging affects every single person on this planet—there’s no escaping it. And one of the most significant changes that happens with age is the decline of our immune system. T cells play a critical role in keeping us healthy, so understanding how aging, genetics, stress, and lifestyle impact their function can help us develop strategies to maintain immune resilience. By identifying dysfunctional T cells more quickly and accurately—using methods that are cheaper, faster, and less complicated than current techniques—we can create diagnostic and prognostic tools, medicines, technologies, and therapies that are available to more patients. This could lead to new treatments and interventions that improve immune health, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for aging populations and those with weakened immune systems.

Are you involved in any Hopkins student groups or groups outside of Hopkins?
I’ve been involved in many organizations within and outside of Hopkins because I’m passionate about building community and creating visibility for underrepresented students in STEM. Many kids—especially Black kids—hear the word scientist and don’t picture someone who looks like me. I want to change that. That’s why I dedicate time to volunteer with programs like the Baltimore Roller Coaster Competition, Science in Action, and the Immersive Summer Program for Education, Enrichment, and Distinction (ISPEED). Through these initiatives, I engage students in the science and technology world while showing them that a career in STEM is possible and exciting.

I also believe strongly in fostering a sense of belonging within academic spaces. Pursuing a PhD can feel isolating, especially for students from underrepresented backgrounds. That’s why I’ve been involved in mentorship and community-building efforts, both formally and informally, to help create an environment where students feel seen, supported, and empowered to succeed.

When you are not doing research, what do you do in your spare time?
I love to laugh, have fun, and try new things—and I love food. So, if I can combine all those activities, I’m truly in heaven. Comedy shows, art museums, concerts, festivals, and restaurants are some of my favorite ways to spend time. I also enjoy amusement parks, hiking, and exploring nature preserves. Honestly, there are so many activities I love doing that I wish I had more time for them all.