Dr. Josh Koenig | Immunologist, Allergy Researcher, Education Reformer

After Josh's graduation from high school, he studied in the Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) Program at McMaster University specializing in Child Health. While at McMaster, he took an introductory course in immunology that would change the trajectory of his life. To him, the cells of the immune system were small superheroes that protect the body from villainous infections. He did his undergraduate thesis with Dr. Manel Jordana studying the pathogenesis of food allergies, a foundational experience that inspired him to enroll in a Master's degree in Medical Sciences with Dr. Jordana in 2015. A year later, he transferred into the PhD program, where he still is today. Early in his graduate degree, Josh engaged extensively in education as a teaching assistant in the Child Health Specialization and in immunology courses. Inspired by his experiences in alternative education in the BHSc program, he designed a summer immunology course which the Bachelor of Health Sciences program allowed him to teach as an instructor. From there, he has expanded his role as an instructor- teaching multiple immunology and child health courses a year and providing guest lectures in multiple other courses across multiple universities. Since defending his PhD in May, Josh continues to engage in both research and education at McMaster.