M. Louise Markert, MD, PhD
M. Louise Markert, MD, PhD

Director, Laboratory of T-Cell Reconstitution

M. Louise Markert, MD, PhD   Faculty Central
marke001@mc.duke.edu

 
Dr. Markert is Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Laboratory of Thymus Transplantation. The research in the Markert laboratory focuses on the development of thymus transplantation for primary immunodeficiencies.  In August 2004, Dr. Markert and her colleagues developed an immunosuppressive treatment that allowed for successful thymus transplants in five babies with complete DiGeorge Syndrome.  After giving the patients an immunosuppressant drug, Thymoglobulin, three days prior to surgery, researchers were able to prevent the patients’ T-cells from attacking the foreign thymus tissues.  Five out of six of the children survived the transplant operations, while the sixth child passed away from a previous respiratory infection.  The results of the study were published in the journal, Blood, in October 2004 and Duke Med News also published an article describing the research.
 
Markert ML, Alexieff MJ, Li J, Sarzotti M, Ozaki DA, Devlin BH, Sedlak DA, Sempowski GD, Hale LP, Rice HE, Mahaffey SM, Skinner MA. Postnatal thymus transplantation with immunosuppression as treatment for DiGeorge syndrome. Blood. 2004 Oct 15; 104(8):2574-81. Epub 2004 Apr 20. Abstract
 
“Babies with DiGeorge Syndrome Saved by Immune Suppression, Thymus Transplant” Duke Med News. Article 
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