Dr Snehlata Kumari

Dr Snehlata Kumari leads the Skin inflammation and immunity group.
Researcher biography
Researcher Biography
Dr Kumari is a Research Leader at The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute. Her laboratory focuses on identifying and understanding immuno-modulatory mechanisms controlling inflammatory skin diseases and skin cancer.
Dr Snehlata Kumari completed her PhD from the University of Cologne in Germany on understanding the role of NF-kB signalling in regulating skin inflammation. During her PhD, she received intensive training in skin immunity and moved to the Institute for Genetics at the University of Cologne in Germany to do postdoctoral work. Dr Kumari made fundamental discoveries in identifying essential roles of NF-kB, cytokines, and apoptosis and necroptosis signalling pathways in regulating skin homeostasis and inflammation. These findings advanced the knowledge of skin immunity, published in top-tier journals such as Nature and Immunity, and opened up new avenues for novel potential targets in skin inflammation.
Dr Kumari's contributions received recognition from global scientific communities including the German National Academy of Sciences- Leopoldina, International Investigative Dermatology and European Society for Dermatological Research. She was awarded a career development grant on melanoma research from the German Research Foundation-SFB 829. She is the winner of 2021 Christina Fleischmann award to young women investigators from the Ineternational Cytokine and Interferon Society.
Overall aims and research focus
The aim of the Kumari Group is to understand cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling skin homeostasis and inflammatory diseases like Psoriasis, Hidradenitis Suppurative, Atopic Dermatitis to gain new knowledge as well as pave translational pathway for drug targets and discoveries for clinical uses. Her laboratory excels in technologies used in Immunology, Biochemistry, Genetics as well as Cell- and Molecular Biology.
Our research focuses on
- Elucidating cellular and molecular signalling mechanisms regulating skin immune homeostasis.
- Identifying new immune regulatory mechanisms in skin inflammation.
- Investigating mechanisms to develop novel therapeutics and immunotherapy for skin cancer