Kusuma is a PhD recipient who completed her thesis in the Graduate Program in Immunology, and was co-mentored by Brendan Antiochos and Erika Darrah. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University with a double major in Cellular Biology & Neuroscience and Spanish. Kusuma’s research interests involve the cellular and molecular mechanisms of autoimmunity, and her thesis project focused on the role of CD8 T cells in rheumatoid arthritis. Kusuma graduated in 2026 and now works in industry.