Hakimeh is a tumor immunologist. She has clarified the mechanisms of adjuvanticity of DCs in cancer immunotherapy field. She also developed unique research into neoepitope based cancer immunotherapy that resulted in finding new rules of neoepitopes selection for cancer patients. Her recent publication in Nature focused on the mechanism of action of a novel immunotherapy drug AC484, which is now in phase I clinical trial. Currently, she serves as an assistant professor at the Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center and Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology. She studies the interaction between immune cells and tumor cells with a specific focus on the functional dynamics of CD8 T cells.