About Dr. Robertson

I'm a comparative immunologist and cell biologist working as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Huttenlocher lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A central goal of my research is to understand how T cells search for antigen in animals without lymph nodes — a group that includes fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds — such that we can better vaccinate these animals in aquaculture, agriculture, and conservation settings.

In 2023, I led the effort to characterize the Tessellated Lymphoid Network, a body-spanning lymphoid tissue in zebrafish that shares all the cellular hallmarks of the mammalian lymph node.

My research also leverages the imaging amenability of the zebrafish system to investigate how T cells tailor their migration strategies do different tissue environments in vivo. Here, I have made two major and unexpected discoveries about T cell migration in vivo.

First, T cells are able to form head-to-tail interactions and migrate collectively as multicellular streams in lymphoid tissues.

Second, T cells within the highly confining environment of the epidermis selectively employ the highly atypical “stable bleb” mode of migration to migrate rapidly in this environment.

Education

University of Pennsylvania
Ph.D., Immunology (2021)
Mentor: Dr. Janis K. Burkhardt, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Lymphocyte Egress Signaling Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Promotes ERM-Guided, Bleb-Based Migration

Texas Christian University
B.S., Biology with Chemistry minor (2014)

Teaching & Mentorship Experience

University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate STEM Teaching via CIRTL (Anticipated completion August 2025)
• Research Mentor Training Seminar via UW Graduate School & Delta Program (July 2025)
• Lecture at UW-Madison Ph.D. Program’s Genetic Colloquium Series, “How T cells find antigen in animals without lymph nodes” (February 2025)
• Primary mentor for undergraduate students in Huttenlocher lab (2022-24)

University of Pennsylvania
• Primary mentor for undergraduate students in Burkhardt lab (2016-19)
• Teaching Assistant for Immunobiology (BIOL 404) with Prof. Michael Cancro, Ph.D. (Fall 2017)
• Tutor for Immunology (IMUN5060 & IMUN5070) & Cell Biology (BIOM6000) coursework for first-year Ph.D. students (2016-17)

Texas Christian University
• Teaching Assistant for Genetics (BIOL 40123) with Prof. Phil Hartman, Ph.D. (Spring 2014)
• Tutor for Organic Chemistry (CHEM30123 & CHEM30133) with Prof. David Minter, Ph.D. (2013-14)

Invited Extramural Talks

“How Animals Find Antigen in Animals Without Lymph Nodes” at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (June 2025)
”How Animals Find Antigen in Animals Without Lymph Nodes” at University of Pennsylvania (May 2024)
“A Tessellated Lymphoid Network Provides Whole-Body T cell Surveillance in Zebrafish” at Directed Cell Migration Gordon Research Conference (January 2023)

Awards

Cool Science Image Contest Winner, University of Wisconsin-Madison (September 2023)
Best Poster Award, University of Pennsylvania Immunology Graduate Group Retreat (November 2019)
Best Poster Award, FASEB Signal Transduction in the Immune System (June 2019)
Best Talk Award, University of Pennsylvania Immunology Graduate Group (November 2018)

Cool Science Image Contest Winner, University of Wisconsin-Madison (September 2023)

  • "Really enjoyed the discussion afterwards. It was interesting to learn about his research and how he was working on the gaps in research with non-traditional methodologies."

    - Student feedback survey (2025)

  • "Dr. Robertson was comfortable answering questions in an uncomplicated way, which helped me understand the material better."

    - Student feedback survey (2025)

  • "The presentation was visually appealing which helped maintain engagement."

    - Student feedback survey (2025)