Paula Kavathas, PhD

Dr. Kavathas studies the T cell co-receptor CD8ab and the functional significance of four isoforms of the human CD8b protein that exist in humans and great apes but not mice. More recently she is studying the basis for acquired resistance to immunotherapy of human lung cancer tumors.

Dr. Kavathas is currently Vice Chair of Diversity for both the Departments of Immunobiology and of Laboratory Medicine. She is on the board of Status of Women in Medicine, SWIM, and of the Women’s Faculty Forum, WFF, (Chair from 2013-2017). She played a role in diversifying portraits at Yale including commissioning a portrait of the first women PhDs located in the nave of Sterling library. Other activities include co-organizing a conference entitled “Gender Rules,” publication of The View (a demographic analysis of women and URMs at Yale), expansion of the Phyllis Bodel Childcare Center, and changes in parental leave policies.