Lalit Beura is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. His research focuses on mucosal T lymphocyte biology. His goal is to improve fundamental understanding of memory T cell differentiation and function in the barrier mucosae so as to design better vaccines and therapies to advance human health.
He received his PhD in Molecular Virology from University of Nebraska working on host-pathogen interaction. Lalit was a post-doctoral associate at University of Minnesota with David Masopust, where he worked on antiviral resident memory T cell function. He joined the Brown faculty in late 2019.
Lab Website: https://sites.brown.edu/beuralab/
| Han G, Hasan MH, Adesioye O, Pacia J, Ramprashad JC, Valdez G, Vaishnava S, Beura LK. "A gavage-fomite based method to generate mouse models with natural microbiota." bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2026. |
| Han G, Yunker R, Hasan MH, Bruce A, Baldaro K, Pacia J, Jarjour NN, Beura LK, Vaishnava S. "A host-adapted commensal fungus from pet store mice drives type 2 immunity and cross-kingdom protection." bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2026. |
| Scott MC, Steier Z, Pierson MJ, Stolley JM, O'Flanagan SD, Soerens AG, Wijeyesinghe SP, Beura LK, Dileepan G, Burbach BJ, Künzli M, Quarnstrom CF, Ghirardelli Smith OC, Weyu E, Hamilton SE, Vezys V, Shalek AK, Masopust D. "Deep profiling deconstructs features associated with memory CD8(+) T cell tissue residence." Immunity, vol. 58, no. 1, 2025, pp. 162-181.e10. |
| Hasan MH, Beura LK. "Monocyte-derived TGF-β shapes memory CD8+ T cells." Cellular & molecular immunology, vol. 22, no. 8, 2025, pp. 949-950. |
| Ramprashad JC, Lin Y, Beura LK. "Protocol for the coculture of murine vaginal epithelial organoids and T cells to induce resident memory CD8 T cell differentiation." STAR protocols, vol. 6, no. 3, 2025, pp. 104054. |
| Ulibarri MR, Lin Y, Ramprashad JC, Han G, Hasan MH, Mithila FJ, Ma C, Gopinath S, Zhang N, Milner JJ, Beura LK. "Epithelial organoid supports resident memory CD8 T cell differentiation." Cell Reports, vol. 43, no. 8, 2024, pp. 114621. |
| Beekman CN, Penumutchu S, Peterson R, Han G, Belenky M, Hasan MH, Belenky A, Beura LK, Belenky P. "Spatial analysis of murine microbiota and bile acid metabolism during amoxicillin treatment." Cell Reports, vol. 43, no. 8, 2024, pp. 114572. |
| Glick VJ, Webber CA, Simmons LE, Martin MC, Ahmad M, Kim CH, Adams AND, Bang S, Chao MC, Howard NC, Fortune SM, Verma M, Jost M, Beura LK, James MJ, Lee SY, Mitchell CM, Clardy J, Kim KH, Gopinath S. "Vaginal lactobacilli produce anti-inflammatory β-carboline compounds." Cell Host & Microbe, vol. 32, no. 11, 2024, pp. 1897-1909.e7. |
| Ulibarri MR, Lin Y, Ramprashad JR, Han G, Hasan MH, Mithila FJ, Ma C, Gopinath S, Zhang N, Milner JJ, Beura LK. "Epithelial organoid supports resident memory CD8 T cell differentiation." bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2023. |
| Vangay P, Ward T, Lucas S, Beura LK, Sabas D, Abramson M, Till L, Hoops SL, Kashyap P, Hunter RC, Masopust D, Knights D. "Industrialized human gut microbiota increases CD8+ T cells and mucus thickness in humanized mouse gut." Gut microbes, vol. 15, no. 2, 2023, pp. 2266627. |
| Rosato PC, Lotfi-Emran S, Joag V, Wijeyesinghe S, Quarnstrom CF, Degefu HN, Nedellec R, Schenkel JM, Beura LK, Hangartner L, Burton DR, Masopust D. "Tissue-resident memory T cells trigger rapid exudation and local antibody accumulation." Mucosal immunology, vol. 16, no. 1, 2023, pp. 17-26. |
| Hasan MH, Beura LK. "Cellular interactions in resident memory T cell establishment and function." Current Opinion in Immunology, vol. 74, 2022, pp. 68-75. |
| Beura LK, Scott MC, Pierson MJ, Joag V, Wijeyesinghe S, Semler MR, Quarnstrom CF, Busman-Sahay K, Estes JD, Hamilton SE, Vezys V, O'Connor DH, Masopust D. "Novel Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Strain Sustains Abundant Exhausted Progenitor CD8 T Cells without Systemic Viremia." The Journal of Immunology, vol. 209, no. 9, 2022, pp. 1691-1702. |
| Ho JQ, Sepand MR, Bigdelou B, Shekarian T, Esfandyarpour R, Chauhan P, Serpooshan V, Beura LK, Hutter G, Zanganeh S. "The immune response to COVID-19: Does sex matter?." Immunology, vol. 166, no. 4, 2022, pp. 429-443. |
| Wijeyesinghe S, Beura LK, Pierson MJ, Stolley JM, Adam OA, Ruscher R, Steinert EM, Rosato PC, Vezys V, Masopust D. "Expansible residence decentralizes immune homeostasis." J. Geophys. Res., vol. 592, no. 7854, 2021, pp. 457-462. |
| Burbach BJ, O'Flanagan SD, Shao Q, Young KM, Slaughter JR, Rollins MR, Street TJL, Granger VE, Beura LK, Azarin SM, Ramadhyani S, Forsyth BR, Bischof JC, Shimizu Y. "Irreversible electroporation augments checkpoint immunotherapy in prostate cancer and promotes tumor antigen-specific tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells." Nature Communications, vol. 12, no. 1, 2021, pp. 3862. |
| Tucker CG, Mitchell JS, Martinov T, Burbach BJ, Beura LK, Wilson JC, Dwyer AJ, Singh LM, Mescher MF, Fife BT. "Adoptive T Cell Therapy with IL-12-Preconditioned Low-Avidity T Cells Prevents Exhaustion and Results in Enhanced T Cell Activation, Enhanced Tumor Clearance, and Decreased Risk for Autoimmunity." The Journal of Immunology, vol. 205, no. 5, 2020, pp. 1449-1460. |
| Fonseca R, Beura LK, Quarnstrom CF, Ghoneim HE, Fan Y, Zebley CC, Scott MC, Fares-Frederickson NJ, Wijeyesinghe S, Thompson EA, Borges da Silva H, Vezys V, Youngblood B, Masopust D. "Developmental plasticity allows outside-in immune responses by resident memory T cells." Nature Immunology, vol. 21, no. 4, 2020, pp. 412-421. |
| Hamilton SE, Badovinac VP, Beura LK, Pierson M, Jameson SC, Masopust D, Griffith TS. "New Insights into the Immune System Using Dirty Mice." The Journal of Immunology, vol. 205, no. 1, 2020, pp. 3-11. |
| Stolley JM, Johnston TS, Soerens AG, Beura LK, Rosato PC, Joag V, Wijeyesinghe SP, Langlois RA, Osum KC, Mitchell JS, Masopust D. "Retrograde migration supplies resident memory T cells to lung-draining LN after influenza infection." Journal of Experimental Medicine, vol. 217, no. 8, 2020. |
| Beura LK, Fares-Frederickson NJ, Steinert EM, Scott MC, Thompson EA, Fraser KA, Schenkel JM, Vezys V, Masopust D. "CD4 resident memory T cells dominate immunosurveillance and orchestrate local recall responses." Journal of Experimental Medicine, vol. 216, no. 5, 2019, pp. 1214-1229. |
| Thompson EA, Mitchell JS, Beura LK, Torres DJ, Mrass P, Pierson MJ, Cannon JL, Masopust D, Fife BT, Vezys V. "Interstitial Migration of CD8αβ T Cells in the Small Intestine Is Dynamic and Is Dictated by Environmental Cues." Cell Reports, vol. 26, no. 11, 2019, pp. 2859-2867.e4. |
| Hirai T, Zenke Y, Yang Y, Bartholin L, Beura LK, Masopust D, Kaplan DH. "Keratinocyte-Mediated Activation of the Cytokine TGF-β Maintains Skin Recirculating Memory CD8 T Cells." Immunity, vol. 50, no. 5, 2019, pp. 1249-1261.e5. |
| Walsh DA, Borges da Silva H, Beura LK, Peng C, Hamilton SE, Masopust D, Jameson SC. "The Functional Requirement for CD69 in Establishment of Resident Memory CD8<sup>+</sup> T Cells Varies with Tissue Location." The Journal of Immunology, vol. 203, no. 4, 2019, pp. 946-955. |
| Steinert EM, Thompson EA, Beura LK, Adam OA, Mitchell JS, Guo M, Breed ER, Sjaastad FV, Vezys V, Masopust D. "Cutting Edge: Evidence for Nonvascular Route of Visceral Organ Immunosurveillance by T Cells." The Journal of Immunology, vol. 201, no. 2, 2018, pp. 337-342. |
| Buggert M, Nguyen S, Salgado-Montes de Oca G, Bengsch B, Darko S, Ransier A, Roberts ER, Del Alcazar D, Brody IB, Vella LA, Beura L, Wijeyesinghe S, Herati RS, Del Rio Estrada PM, Ablanedo-Terrazas Y, Kuri-Cervantes L, Sada Japp A, Manne S, Vartanian S, Huffman A, Sandberg JK, Gostick E, Nadolski G, Silvestri G, Canaday DH, Price DA, Petrovas C, Su LF, Vahedi G, Dori Y, Frank I, Itkin MG, Wherry EJ, Deeks SG, Naji A, Reyes-Terán G, Masopust D, Douek DC, Betts MR. "Identification and characterization of HIV-specific resident memory CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells in human lymphoid tissue." Science immunology, vol. 3, no. 24, 2018. |
| Beura LK, Mitchell JS, Thompson EA, Schenkel JM, Mohammed J, Wijeyesinghe S, Fonseca R, Burbach BJ, Hickman HD, Vezys V, Fife BT, Masopust D. "Intravital mucosal imaging of CD8 resident memory T cells shows tissue-autonomous recall responses that amplify secondary memory." Nature Immunology, vol. 19, no. 2, 2018, pp. 173-182. |
| Beura LK, Jameson SC, Masopust D. "Is a Human CD8 T-Cell Vaccine Possible, and if So, What Would It Take? CD8 T-Cell Vaccines: To B or Not to B?." Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology, vol. 10, no. 9, 2018. |
| Beura LK, Wijeyesinghe S, Thompson EA, Macchietto MG, Rosato PC, Pierson MJ, Schenkel JM, Mitchell JS, Vezys V, Fife BT, Shen S, Masopust D. "T Cells in Nonlymphoid Tissues Give Rise to Lymph-Node-Resident Memory T Cells." Immunity, vol. 48, no. 2, 2018, pp. 327-338.e5. |
| Borges da Silva H, Beura LK, Wang H, Hanse EA, Gore R, Scott MC, Walsh DA, Block KE, Fonseca R, Yan Y, Hippen KL, Blazar BR, Masopust D, Kelekar A, Vulchanova L, Hogquist KA, Jameson SC. "The purinergic receptor P2RX7 directs metabolic fitness of long-lived memory CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells." J. Geophys. Res., vol. 559, no. 7713, 2018, pp. 264-268. |
| Vangay P, Johnson AJ, Ward TL, Al-Ghalith GA, Shields-Cutler RR, Hillmann BM, Lucas SK, Beura LK, Thompson EA, Till LM, Batres R, Paw B, Pergament SL, Saenyakul P, Xiong M, Kim AD, Kim G, Masopust D, Martens EC, Angkurawaranon C, McGready R, Kashyap PC, Culhane-Pera KA, Knights D. "US Immigration Westernizes the Human Gut Microbiome." Cell, vol. 175, no. 4, 2018, pp. 962-972.e10. |
| Beura LK, Rosato PC, Masopust D. "Implications of Resident Memory T Cells for Transplantation." American Journal of Transplantation, vol. 17, no. 5, 2017, pp. 1167-1175. |
| Staley C, Kaiser T, Beura LK, Hamilton MJ, Weingarden AR, Bobr A, Kang J, Masopust D, Sadowsky MJ, Khoruts A. "Stable engraftment of human microbiota into mice with a single oral gavage following antibiotic conditioning." Microbiome, vol. 5, no. 1, 2017, pp. 87. |
| Rosato PC, Beura LK, Masopust D. "Tissue resident memory T cells and viral immunity." Current opinion in virology, vol. 22, 2017, pp. 44-50. |
| Fiege JK, Beura LK, Burbach BJ, Shimizu Y. "Adhesion- and Degranulation-Promoting Adapter Protein Promotes CD8 T Cell Differentiation and Resident Memory Formation and Function during an Acute Infection." The Journal of Immunology, vol. 197, no. 6, 2016, pp. 2079-89. |
| Schenkel JM, Fraser KA, Casey KA, Beura LK, Pauken KE, Vezys V, Masopust D. "IL-15-Independent Maintenance of Tissue-Resident and Boosted Effector Memory CD8 T Cells." The Journal of Immunology, vol. 196, no. 9, 2016, pp. 3920-6. |
| Beura LK, Hamilton SE, Bi K, Schenkel JM, Odumade OA, Casey KA, Thompson EA, Fraser KA, Rosato PC, Filali-Mouhim A, Sekaly RP, Jenkins MK, Vezys V, Haining WN, Jameson SC, Masopust D. "Normalizing the environment recapitulates adult human immune traits in laboratory mice." Nature, vol. 532, no. 7600, 2016, pp. 512-6. |
| Reese TA, Bi K, Kambal A, Filali-Mouhim A, Beura LK, Bürger MC, Pulendran B, Sekaly RP, Jameson SC, Masopust D, Haining WN, Virgin HW. "Sequential Infection with Common Pathogens Promotes Human-like Immune Gene Expression and Altered Vaccine Response." Cell Host & Microbe, vol. 19, no. 5, 2016, pp. 713-9. |
| Thompson EA, Beura LK, Nelson CE, Anderson KG, Vezys V. "Shortened Intervals during Heterologous Boosting Preserve Memory CD8 T Cell Function but Compromise Longevity." The Journal of Immunology, vol. 196, no. 7, 2016, pp. 3054-63. |
| Mohammed J, Beura LK, Bobr A, Astry B, Chicoine B, Kashem SW, Welty NE, Igyártó BZ, Wijeyesinghe S, Thompson EA, Matte C, Bartholin L, Kaplan A, Sheppard D, Bridges AG, Shlomchik WD, Masopust D, Kaplan DH. "Stromal cells control the epithelial residence of DCs and memory T cells by regulated activation of TGF-β." Nature Immunology, vol. 17, no. 4, 2016, pp. 414-21. |
| Beura LK, Masopust D. "Infected cells call their killers to the scene of the crime." Immunity, vol. 42, no. 3, 2015, pp. 399-401. |
| Beura LK, Anderson KG, Schenkel JM, Locquiao JJ, Fraser KA, Vezys V, Pepper M, Masopust D. "Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus persistence promotes effector-like memory differentiation and enhances mucosal T cell distribution." Journal of Leukocyte Biology, vol. 97, no. 2, 2015, pp. 217-25. |
| Steinert EM, Schenkel JM, Fraser KA, Beura LK, Manlove LS, Igyártó BZ, Southern PJ, Masopust D. "Quantifying Memory CD8 T Cells Reveals Regionalization of Immunosurveillance." Cell, vol. 161, no. 4, 2015, pp. 737-49. |
| Anderson KG, Mayer-Barber K, Sung H, Beura L, James BR, Taylor JJ, Qunaj L, Griffith TS, Vezys V, Barber DL, Masopust D. "Intravascular staining for discrimination of vascular and tissue leukocytes." Nat Protoc, vol. 9, no. 1, 2014, pp. 209-22. |
| Beura LK, Masopust D. "SnapShot: resident memory T cells." Cell, vol. 157, no. 6, 2014, pp. 1488-1488.e1. |
| Schenkel JM, Fraser KA, Beura LK, Pauken KE, Vezys V, Masopust D. "T cell memory. Resident memory CD8 T cells trigger protective innate and adaptive immune responses." Science, vol. 346, no. 6205, 2014, pp. 98-101. |
| Dinh PX, Beura LK, Das PB, Panda D, Das A, Pattnaik AK. "Induction of stress granule-like structures in vesicular stomatitis virus-infected cells." Journal of Virology, vol. 87, no. 1, 2013, pp. 372-83. |
| Subramaniam S, Beura LK, Kwon B, Pattnaik AK, Osorio FA. "Amino acid residues in the non-structural protein 1 of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus involved in down-regulation of TNF-α expression in vitro and attenuation in vivo." Virology, vol. 432, no. 2, 2012, pp. 241-9. |
| Casey KA, Fraser KA, Schenkel JM, Moran A, Abt MC, Beura LK, Lucas PJ, Artis D, Wherry EJ, Hogquist K, Vezys V, Masopust D. "Antigen-independent differentiation and maintenance of effector-like resident memory T cells in tissues." The Journal of Immunology, vol. 188, no. 10, 2012, pp. 4866-75. |
| Beura LK, Subramaniam S, Vu HL, Kwon B, Pattnaik AK, Osorio FA. "Identification of amino acid residues important for anti-IFN activity of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus non-structural protein 1." Virology, vol. 433, no. 2, 2012, pp. 431-9. |
| Dinh PX, Beura LK, Panda D, Das A, Pattnaik AK. "Antagonistic effects of cellular poly(C) binding proteins on vesicular stomatitis virus gene expression." Journal of Virology, vol. 85, no. 18, 2011, pp. 9459-71. |
| Beura LK, Dinh PX, Osorio FA, Pattnaik AK. "Cellular poly(c) binding proteins 1 and 2 interact with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus nonstructural protein 1β and support viral replication." Journal of Virology, vol. 85, no. 24, 2011, pp. 12939-49. |
| Panda D, Dinh PX, Beura LK, Pattnaik AK. "Induction of interferon and interferon signaling pathways by replication of defective interfering particle RNA in cells constitutively expressing vesicular stomatitis virus replication proteins." Journal of Virology, vol. 84, no. 9, 2010, pp. 4826-31. |
| Subramaniam S, Kwon B, Beura LK, Kuszynski CA, Pattnaik AK, Osorio FA. "Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus non-structural protein 1 suppresses tumor necrosis factor-alpha promoter activation by inhibiting NF-κB and Sp1." Virology, vol. 406, no. 2, 2010, pp. 270-9. |
| Beura LK, Sarkar SN, Kwon B, Subramaniam S, Jones C, Pattnaik AK, Osorio FA. "Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus nonstructural protein 1beta modulates host innate immune response by antagonizing IRF3 activation." Journal of Virology, vol. 84, no. 3, 2010, pp. 1574-84. |
Over 2.2 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) occur in the United States annually,
with women bearing a disproportionate burden of consequences. Overall cases have
increased 13% over the past decade. Many of these infections progress asymptomatically
until serious damage occurs. Even with early diagnosis, treatment options remain limited,
and relapsing infections are all too common. A crucial step to improving these outcomes
is addressing our fundamental ignorance of the immune system in the female
reproductive tract. Mucosal immunity of the female reproductive tract remains
understudied compared to other organ systems, hampering development of effective
preventive strategies and treatments specifically designed for women's unique
immunological challenges.
My laboratory focuses on T cells, a crucial cell type that has well-established antipathogenic
and anti-tumor function in the reproductive tract. Our goal is to understand the
fundamental rules that control T cells in the genital tissue so that we can develop better
vaccines and immunotherapies to position highly effective T cells in this tissue to ward off
STIs. We have begun to identify locally secreted molecules that help generate and
maintain these T cells. One approach we are taking, is to understand the genetic
pathways these molecules evoke, so that we can stimulate similar pathways to improve
pathogen control. While we initially conducted these experiments in mouse models, we
have recently started a collaboration with clinicians at Women and Infants Hospital to
perform studies using human samples. To overcome the limitations of animal models, we
have developed miniature, functional organ structures called "organoids" from donated
human reproductive tract tissue. These structures provide a window into how the tissue
works without requiring experiments on people. Using these organoids, we are testing
whether T cells can eliminate STIs and cervical cancer. We are also learning what
conditions make these T cells ineffective or enable more potent responses so as to
modulate T cell behavior as needed.
We utilize a broad range of cutting-edge cellular and molecular immunology approaches.
These are combined with next-generation sequencing and microscopy. The goal is to
build a highly detailed and comprehensive map of biological processes in the female
reproductive tract both in health and disease. This knowledge will have applications in
vaccination strategies, therapies against malignancy, and improving maternal-fetal
health.
| Year | Degree | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | PhD | University of Nebraska |
| Post-doctoral Associate | Brown University, microbiology, immunology | 2011-2019 | Minneapolis, MN, United States |
2020 Searle Scholar Award, Kinship Foundation (Chicago)
2019 AAI-Thermo Fisher Trainee achievement Award (The American Association of Immunologists meeting, San Diego)
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Brossay, Laurent | Charles A. and Helen B. Stuart Professor of Medical Science, Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology |
| Lee, Sanghyun | Assistant Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology |
| Vaishnava, Shipra | Esther Elizabeth Brintzenhoff Associate Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology |
| Valdez, Gregorio | David and Nancy Kaplan Professor of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry |
| Zhou, Yang | Assistant Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology |
| BIOL 1600 - Development of Vaccines to Infectious Diseases |
