Hailey A. Barker
University of Florida
Hailey A. Barker earned her B.S. in microbiology and cell science from the University of Florida and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in the same department under the mentorship of Mariola Ferraro, M.S., Ph.D. Her dissertation research investigates the role of cannabinoid receptor signaling and synthetic cannabinoids in modulating innate immune responses during gram-negative bacterial infections. Barker’s research aims to contribute to the development of novel host-directed therapeutics for chronic inflammatory and enteric diseases. She has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications in the areas of innate immunity, host-pathogen interactions, extracellular vesicle biology and the endocannabinoid system. Her work has been recognized through a T32 National Institutes of Health fellowship awarded by the Basic Microbiology and Infectious Disease Training Program at the University of Florida, reflecting her promise as a future leader in translational infectious disease research.