Dumebi Okonkwo is a research associate in the Center for Integrated Solutions for Infectious Disease (CISID) at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. She joined the Hwang lab in June 2025 and has been supporting multiple projects within the lab.
During her undergraduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh her research focused on understanding transmission of nosocomial infections particularly in viral infections like SARS-CoV-2, Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Her work supported the application of Enhanced Detection System for Healthcare-Associated Transmission of Infection (EDS-HAT) to viral outbreaks within several hospitals in the Pittsburgh area.
Her current research interest lies within understanding the immune system and the important role it has in disease progression and outcomes. Her current work includes performing and creating screens to identify genes both crucial and detrimental to Sepsis survival.