Amrita A. Cheema

Amrita A. Cheema
Name	Amrita A. Cheema
Birth place	Chandigarh, India
Nationality	Indian-American
Fields	Immunology; Molecular Biology; Systems Biology
Workplaces	University of Texas at San Antonio; University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; Washington University in St. Louis; Stanford University
Alma mater	Panjab University; Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; University of Maryland, Baltimore County; University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Known for	Translational immunology; systems-level approaches to host-pathogen interactions; biomarker discovery

Amrita A. Cheema Amrita A. Cheema is an Indian-American immunologist and translational scientist recognized for integrating molecular biology, systems biology, and clinical research to investigate host responses to infectious diseases, cancer, and radiation exposure. Her work bridges laboratory studies and clinical applications, combining proteomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics with bioinformatics and clinical trials to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Cheema has held faculty and leadership roles at major research institutions and contributed to national and international consortia on biodefense, precision medicine, and cancer immunology.

Early life and education

Cheema was born in Chandigarh and raised in the Punjab region, where she completed early schooling before pursuing higher education at Panjab University and the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research. She moved to the United States for advanced training, obtaining graduate degrees that combined molecular and computational approaches at institutions including University of Maryland, Baltimore County and University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. During postgraduate training she conducted research that intersected with programs at National Institutes of Health, collaborating with investigators associated with National Cancer Institute and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Research and academic career

Cheema’s academic career includes faculty appointments and leadership positions at institutions such as University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, University of Texas at San Antonio, Washington University in St. Louis, and research collaborations with Stanford University. Her laboratory has applied high-throughput technologies — including mass spectrometry platforms similar to those used at ProteomeXchange-affiliated centers — and integrated bioinformatics methods developed in concert with groups at European Bioinformatics Institute, Broad Institute, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. She has participated in multi-institutional efforts funded by agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to address challenges in infectious diseases, biodefense, and cancer.

Her interdisciplinary teams have worked with clinical partners at hospitals affiliated with University Health System (San Antonio), cancer centers with ties to MD Anderson Cancer Center and Moffitt Cancer Center, and public-health laboratories connected to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cheema’s role has included mentoring trainees supported by programs run through Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Science Foundation, and American Association for the Advancement of Science fellowships.

Contributions and notable work

Cheema has produced notable contributions in translational immunology and systems biology, including identification of molecular signatures of radiation exposure with implications for Department of Defense and emergency-response frameworks. Her work on host-pathogen interactions has elucidated pathways relevant to viral infections studied by consortia such as those involving World Health Organization collaborations and panels advised by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She has advanced biomarker discovery for cancer immunotherapy response, collaborating with investigators associated with American Association for Cancer Research, Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, and clinical trials registered through networks similar to ClinicalTrials.gov.

Methodologically, Cheema’s lab combined metabolomics and proteomics approaches with computational modeling techniques inspired by research at Institute for Systems Biology and Santa Fe Institute, contributing to standards for multi-omics data integration championed by initiatives like Global Alliance for Genomics and Health. Her publications have appeared alongside research from groups at Yale University, Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins University, University of California, San Diego, and University of Pennsylvania, reflecting broad collaboration across translational science and public health communities.

Awards and honors

Cheema has received recognition from professional societies and funding agencies, including investigator awards and research grants from the National Institutes of Health and career-development awards comparable to those administered by Kauffman Foundation-type programs. She has been invited to present at conferences organized by American Society for Mass Spectrometry, Human Proteome Organization, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics sessions on computational biology, and symposia hosted by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Her leadership in multidisciplinary projects has led to appointments on advisory panels and review committees for organizations such as National Science Foundation and Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

Personal life and affiliations

Outside the laboratory, Cheema has been active in professional service through memberships in societies including American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Society for Microbiology, International Society for Computational Biology, and American Chemical Society. She has served on editorial boards for journals in translational medicine and on advisory boards for university centers focused on precision medicine and biodefense. Cheema maintains collaborations with academic and clinical partners across the United States and internationally, contributing to outreach and mentorship programs connected to organizations like Society for Women in Science and academic initiatives at Panjab University alumni networks.

Category:American immunologists Category:Women scientists