Wendy Walker, PhD

  Education

  • BS, Genetics, University of Edinburgh
  • PhD, Medicine, University of Edinburgh

Research Interest

Dr. Walker’s lab investigates how innate immune pathways and physiological processes contribute to sepsis. Dr. Walker’s lab investigates how sleep and circadian rhythms influence sepsis. The lab also investigates how Interferon Regulatory Factor 3 makes sepsis worse and how immune cells move through the body during sepsis. These studies are accomplished through the use of animal models and cell culture.

Selected Publications

  • Garcia LF, Mireles B, Singh, V, Dwivedi A and Walker WE. (2023). Common variables that influence sepsis mortality in mice. Journal of Inflammation Research,16: 1121–1134. DOI: 10.2147/JIR.S400115
  • Walker WE. (2022). Goodnight, sleep tight, don’t let the microbes bite: a review of sleep and its effects on sepsis and inflammation. Shock, 58:189-195. DOI: 10.1097/SHK.0000000000001976
  • Goswami DG, Rubio AJ, Mata J, Munoz S, Gallegos A and Walker WE. (2021). Large Peritoneal Macrophages and Transitional Premonocytes Promote Survival during Abdominal Sepsis. ImmunoHorizons, 5: 994-1007. DOI: 10.4049/immunohorizons.2100086
  • Heipertz EL, Harper J, Goswami DG, Lopez CA, Nellikappallil J, Zamora R, Vodovotz Y and Walker WE. (2021). IRF3 Signaling within the Mouse Stroma Influences Sepsis Pathogenesis. The Journal of Immunology, 206: 398-409. DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1900217
  • Goswami, DG and Walker WE. (2021). Aged IRF3-KO mice are protected from sepsis. Journal of Inflammation Research,14: 5757-5767. DOI: 10.2147/JIR.S335203
  • Goswami DG, Garcia LF, Dodoo C, Dwivedi AK, Zhou Y, Pappas D, Walker WE. (2021). Evaluating the Timeliness and Specificity of CD69, CD64 and CD25 as Biomarkers of Sepsis in mice. Shock, 55: 507-518. DOI: 10.1097/SHK.0000000000001650
  • Heipertz E, Harper J, Lopez Z, Fikrig E, Hughes ME, Walker WE. (2018). Circadian rhythms influence the severity of sepsis in mice, via a TLR2-dependent, leukocyte-intrinsic mechanism. The Journal of Immunology, 201:193-201. DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1701677
  • Heipertz E, Harper J, Walker WE. (2017). STING and TRIF Contribute to Mouse Sepsis, Depending on Severity of the Disease Model. Shock, 47:621-631. DOI: 10.1097/SHK.0000000000000771
  • Walker, WE, Bozzi AT and Goldstein DR. (2012). IRF3 contributes to sepsis pathogenesis in the mouse cecal ligation and puncture model. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 92:1261-8. DOI: 10.1189/jlb.0312138
  • Silver A, Arjona A, Walker WE, Fikrig E. (2012). The circadian clock controls toll-like receptor 9-mediated innate and adaptive immunity. Immunity, 36:251-61. DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2011.12.017

Click here to see the full list of Dr. Walker’s work.

Grants

  • 1R15HL159554-01A1 (NIH/NHLBI). Walker (PI) 4/06/2022 – 03/31/2025. Goodnight mouse: sleep and sepsis.
  • Society of Critical Care Medicine SCCM-Weil Grant. Walker (PI). 10/17/2018 – 02/31/2021 (NCE).Exploring changes in peritoneal macrophage composition and function during sepsis.
  • El Paso Community Foundation Grant. Walker (PI). 10/1/2019 – 09/20/2020. Investigating IRF3 as a therapeutic target in aged mice.
  • 1R21AI102802-01A1 (NIH/NIAID). Walker (PI). 08/01/2013 – 7/31/2017 (NCE). Investigating the genetic basis of CD4-intrinsic HIV control.
  • Shock Society Research Fellowship for Early Career Investigators. Walker (PI). 07/01/2012 –
    06/31/2015 (NCE). The Role of the cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway in sepsis.

Professional Involvement

  • American Association of Immunologists
  • Shock Society
  • Society for Critical Care Medicine
  • Society for Leukocyte Biology

Contact Dr. Wendy Walker

walker_w@mercer.edu