Antigen presenting cells and antigen presentation
Antigen processing and presentation was pioneered by Emil Unanue, MD and Paul Allen, PhD in 1985 and remains an active area of research in the department. Researchers involved in this area include:
- Paul Allen, PhD
- Marco Colonna, MD
- Jonathan Kipnis, PhD
- Eynav Klechevsky, PhD
- Ken Murphy, MD, PhD
- Gwen Randolph, PhD
- Emil Unanue, MD
- Bernd Zinselmeyer, PhD
Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
The department has a long history of research in autoimmune diseases, particularly in the study of autoimmune diabetes. Currently, a wide variety of laboratories study autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, EAE/multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis. Others work on the basic science of inflammatory processes. Researchers include:
- Paul Allen, PhD
- Max Artyomov, PhD
- Kyunghee Choi, PhD
- Marco Colonna, MD
- Brian Edelson, MD, PhD (LGM)
- Jonathan Kipnis, PhD
- Eynav Klechevsky, PhD
- Gwen Randolph, PhD
- Thad Stappenbeck, MD, PhD (LGM)
- Emil Unanue, MD
- Skip Virgin, MD, PhD
Cancer immunology and DNA damage repair
For many years, the immune system was not thought to play an important role in tumor rejection. The cancer immuno-editing hypothesis developed by Robert Schreiber, PhD has clearly shown the importance of the immune system in controlling the growth of tumors. This has helped support new approaches to use the immune system to treat cancer. Researchers include:
- Eynav Klechevsky, PhD
- Nima Mosammaparast, MD, PhD (LGM)
- Jackie Payton, MD, PhD (LGM)
- Robert Schreiber, PhD
Epigenetics, development and lineage commitment
The mechanism of how immune cells like T and B lymphocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells develop and become committed to a specific lineage is a particular strength of the division. Emerging topics include a focus on the epigenetics of aging, cancer and the influence of the microbiome on health and disease. Researchers include:
- Max Artyomov, PhD
- Takeshi Egawa, MD, PhD
- Ken Murphy, MD, PhD
- Jackie Payton, MD, PhD (LGM)
- Thad Stappenbeck, MD, PhD (LGM)
Imaging
New technologies like two-photon microscopy and STORM/PALM allow for immunological reactions to be visualized in real-time as well as at the molecular level. The development of novel fluorescent reporter mice allows new types of events to be visualized. Furthermore, new tissue preparation and clearing techniques give confocal imaging ever greater power in visualizing the immune response in mouse and man.
- Paul Allen, PhD
- Jonathan Kipnis, PhD
- Gwen Randolph, PhD
- Robert Schreiber, PhD
- Emil Unanue, MD
- Bernd Zinselmeyer, PhD
Immune receptors and signal transduction
Identification of new receptors and transcription factors important to immune function and understanding how they function is an important area of research in the group. In addition, a wide variety of signaling pathways downstream of receptors is being studied in the division.
- Paul Allen, PhD
- Max Artyomov, PhD
- Kyunghee Choi, PhD
- Marco Colonna, MD
- Brian Edelson, MD, PhD (LGM)
- Takeshi Egawa, MD, PhD
- Daved Fremont, PhD
- Ken Murphy, MD, PhD
- Robert Schreiber, PhD
- Skip Virgin, MD, PhD
Infection and immunity
How the immune system recognizes and responds to pathogens is an area of active interest in the department. Research focuses on the specific innate and adaptive recognition of microorganisms, as well as viral immune evasion. Researchers include:
- Gaya Amarsinghe, PhD (LGM)
- Marco Colonna, MD
- Brian Edelson, MD, PhD (LGM)
- Takeshi Egawa, MD, PhD
- Daved Fremont, PhD
- Ken Murphy, MD, PhD
- Emil Unanue, MD
- David Wang, PhD (LGM)
- Skip Virgin, MD, PhD
Innate immunity
Research in the department involves innate recognition receptors that recognize both extracellular and cytoplasmic pathogens and pathways critical to innate immunity, like autophagy and generation of mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Strengths of the division are in macrophage diversity and function, NK cells and the role of the gut microbiota in regulating the immune system. Researchers include:
- Max Artyomov, PhD
- Marco Colonna, MD
- Brian Edelson, MD, PhD (LGM)
- Jonathan Kipnis, PhD
- Ken Murphy, MD, PhD
- Gwen Randolph, PhD
- Thad Stappenbeck, MD, PhD (LGM)
- Emil Unanue, MD
- Skip Virgin, MD, PhD
Neuroimmunology
Stem cell biology
Stem cell research in the department includes studies of self-renewal, lineage commitment and differentiation of embryonic, induced pluripotent, hematopoietic and epithelial stem cells. Some laboratories use these cells to study lymphomas and other cancers, as well as the germinal center reaction. Researchers include:
- Kyunghee Choi, PhD
- Takeshi Egawa, MD, PhD
- Ken Murphy, MD, PhD
- Jackie Payton, MD, PhD (LGM)
- Thad Stappenbeck, MD, PhD (LGM)
Structural biology in immunity
The structural basis of pathogen evasion and host-pathogen interactions has a productive history in our department and now serves as the host of a structural biology core, with additional access in the school to leading techniques including cryo-EM. Researchers include:
Immunobiology affiliates from other departments
- Abdel Kareem Azab, PhD: Radiation oncology
- Stephen Beverley, PhD: Molecular microbiology
- Adrianus (Jacco) Boon, PhD: Infectious diseases
- Matthew Ciorba, MD: Gastroenterology
- Michael Diamond, MD, PhD: Infectious diseases
- Roberta Faccio, PhD: Orthopedics
- Andrew Kau, MD, PhD: Allergy & Immunology
- Kory Lavine, MD, PhD: Cardiology
- Timothy Ley, MD: Oncology
- David Perlmutter, MD: Pediatrics
- Jennifer Philips, MD, PhD: Infectious diseases
- Babak Razani, MD, PhD: Cardiology
- Philip Stahl, PhD: Cell biology & physiology
- Adetunji Toriola, MD, PhD: Surgery
- Deborah Veis (Novack), MD, PhD: Bone & mineral diseases