PATRU: Mohamed Abdel Hakeem Lab

Assistant Professor
Pathology Advanced Translational Research Unit
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
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Mohamed Hakeem obtained his Degree in Pharmacy from Cairo University, followed by Masters and Doctoral Degrees from Université de Montréal. During his graduate studies with Dre. Naglaa Shoukry at Université de Montréal, he studied T cell differentiation and protective immunity in the context of chronic hepatitis C infection, and how cytokine treatment with Type I interferon impacted exhausted T cell (Tex) differentiation. Later, as a Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Pennsylvania in the Lab of Dr. John Wherry, he continued studying different aspects of Tex biology, including epigenetic recovery post cure from chronic disease, as well as the impact of cytokine signaling on programing of different subsets of Tex. Hakeem joined PATRU as an Assistant Professor in September 2021, where Hakeem Lab continues to work on dissecting the intrinsic and extrinsic factors shaping the T cell exhaustion program. Another main research direction in Hakeem Lab is studying the impact of preexisting chronic disease on vaccine-induced memory. For these studies, we utilize in vitro and mouse models, including the well-established LCMV model, in addition to human samples. We employ state-of-the-art immunology and systems biology techniques, as well as the latest bioinformatics analyses methods supported by PATRU. In Hakeem Lab, we collaborate closely with the rest of PATRU Labs whose research interests and expertise synergize with and complement our work, in addition to other research groups within the Emory scientific community, especially within Emory Vaccine Center (EVC), and WInship Cancer Institute. Dr. Hakeem is highly involved in different activities at Emory, including the IMP and CB Graduate Programs, supervising student associations, and internal committees.

Research Specialist
Pathology Advanced Translational Research Unit
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

Oscar Arellano Pacheco joined the Hakeem Lab as a Research Specialist in April 2025. He obtained his B.S. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from Mercer University, during which he worked with Dr. Sahar Hasim investigating the effects of sublethal Caspofungin exposure on C. albicans and C. auris immune evasion, enhancing macrophage-mediated detection and clearance of drug-resistant pathogens.Oscar spent his summers involved in research, further exploring protein chemistry and immunology. As a SURF fellow with Dr. Francisco Bustos at Sanford Health in 2023, he characterized a clinically novel protein mutation causing Tonne-Kalscheuer syndrome. The next year as a SURP4US fellow, he worked with Dr. Lucas Ferrari de Andrade at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai to develop a novel CD16a stabilizing antibody, inhibiting receptor shedding in NK cells and significantly improving anti-tumor activity when complementing FDA approved monoclonal antibody therapies.Currently in the laboratory of Dr. Mohamed Abdel Hakeem, he is investigating T cell dysfunction and unique differentiation in the context of chronic disease and the molecular factors leading to the development of exhausted T cells. A particularly exciting lab direction is into investigating the factors influencing the “bystander” effect of preexisting exhaustive conditions on T cells responding to acute infections or vaccinations, and their effects on immune recall post-clearance.