Anshu Agrawal

Anshu Agrawal is a Professor in Residence in the Division of Basic and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. She also holds the rank of Associate Professor in Medicine. Agrawal earned her Ph.D. in Biotechnology from Lucknow University in 1994, an M.S. in Biochemistry in 1988, and a B.S. in Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology in 1986 from the same university. After her Ph.D., she worked as a Research Scientist at the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in New Delhi, India, from 1994 to 1999. She completed postdoctoral fellowships at Inserm Unite 255, Institut Curie in Paris, France (1999–2001), and at the Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University (2002–2005). She joined UC Irvine, advancing from Assistant Clinical Professor to her current positions. Her career includes contributions to understanding immune mechanisms in infectious diseases, cancer, and vaccine responses.

Agrawal's research specializes in human immunology, with a focus on aging, dendritic cells, respiratory mucosal immunity, inflammation, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer immunology. Her work examines age-related impairments in dendritic cell functions, innate immune responses to pathogens like SARS-CoV-2, and neuroinflammation driven by cytokines such as IL-21. Key publications include "Chronic IL-21 drives neuroinflammation and promotes lipid accumulation in microglia" (Immun Ageing, 2025), "Changes in the Innate Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 with Advancing Age in Humans" (Immunity and Ageing, 2024), "Impact of IL-21-associated peripheral and brain crosstalk on the Alzheimer's disease neuropathology" (Cell Mol Life Sci, 2022), "Increased Reactivity of Dendritic Cells from Aged Subjects to Self Antigen, the Human DNA" (J Immunol, 2009), and "Altered innate immune functioning of dendritic cells in aging humans: Role of PI3Kinase signaling pathway" (J Immunol, 2007). She has received the 2006 New Scholar Award in Aging from the Ellison Medical Foundation, 2007 AAI Junior Faculty Travel Award, 2009 Faculty Mentor of the Month by UCI Undergraduate Research Program, and 2025 Basic Sciences COHS Team Research Award (Honorable Mention). Agrawal serves as Editor-in-Chief of Mediators of Inflammation (since 2019), Associate Editor for Frontiers in Aging-Immunology, Specialty Chief Editor for Aging and the Immune System, and has been a member of NIH Vaccines Against Microbial Diseases Study Section. She contributes to university committees including Vice Chair of the School of Medicine Admissions & Financial Aid Committee and the Council on Equity and Inclusion.

Professional Email: aagrawal@uci.edu