Heidi Kloser

Heidi Kloser is a Ph.D. candidate in The Santangelo & Henao Labs at Colorado State University. Heidi’s primary research focus is on the connection between tuberculosis (TB) and osteoarthritis (OA). Within this umbrella, she has done work to highlight the importance of understanding the adverse effects of systemic diseases (TB) on the quality of life not previously associated with the illness (OA) and is developing a model to study tuberculosis meningitis (TBM) and TBM clinical signs. Heidi also researches stromal cell therapies for OA intervention and studies animal behavior and mobility to make more reproducible models that cover the spectrum of disease. 

She became interested in pursuing a career in research after joining a research project at Colorado Mesa University, during her undergraduate degree, investigating the spread and impact of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) fungus on indigenous and invasive Colorado amphibians. Following graduation, she worked in a clinical/translational research laboratory in Vail CO (Steadman Philippon Research Institute CRSM) studying age and disease-related cellular senescence, cancer, senolytic treatments, and flow cytometry.  Heidi also enjoys the outdoors skiing,  taekwondo, hiking, biking, paddleboarding, rock climbing, camping, and playing team sports.