Joshua A McKeever

Joshua McKeever (he/him) was born in Los Angeles, California, a city whose diversity and creative energy provided early exposure to a wide range of cultures and aesthetics. His curiosity and eye for design emerged at a young age, nurtured by a fascination with fashion, architecture, and automotive design. In parallel, he developed a passion for understanding the natural world, drawn to the elegance and logic of biological systems.

What once seemed like separate interests—design and science—eventually revealed themselves to be deeply interconnected. Joshua found that embracing each discipline fully, rather than being solely devoted to one, enriched his perspective and elevated the quality of his work. Today, he continues to draw inspiration from both domains, approaching scientific questions with a designer’s sensitivity to form and function, and approaching creative work with an appreciation for the structure and complexity inherent in nature. This interdisciplinary lens remains a defining feature of his academic, artistic, and professional pursuits.

Education: BS, Biology, Loyola University Chicago (2019), PhD, Molecular Metabolism, University of Chicago (2026)

Keystone Symposia Future of Science Fund Scholarship, Midwinter Conference of Immunologists Trainee Award, University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division Diversity Committee DEI Award, FASEB Early Career Researcher Award, NSF Graduate Research Fellowships Program (GRFP) — Honorable Mention, NIH NIGMS R35 Diversity Supplement, NIH T32 Multi-disciplinary Training Grant in Cancer Research, NIH Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) Fellow, Loyola University Chicago Trustee Scholarship, University of Southern California Bridging the Gap Scholar

Nature (DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09424-x), Nature Immunology (DOI: 10.1038/s41590-024-01807-y), Cancer Immunology Research (DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-23-0344)

I am a scientist by training with a deep appreciation for discovery, creativity, and beauty. I believe that all disciplines are connected through shared principles, and that engaging with ideas across fields enriches the work we do. In my teaching, my goal is to help students see that scientific concepts are not only fascinating in their own right, but can also serve as powerful tools to inspire and enhance artistic practice. I aim to create a learning environment where students feel encouraged to explore these intersections and discover new possibilities within their own work.