The Immunology Podcast

Guest:

Dr. Susan Kaech is a Professor and Director of the NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis at the Salk Institute. Her lab aims to understand how memory T cells are produced during infection and vaccination, how they function, and why they can fail to induce long-term immunity, particularly during chronic disease or cancer. In this episode, she talks about her research on T cell exhaustion and neuroimmunology, as well as her path from genetics to immunology.

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• Keep current with the latest in human immunology news.
• Achieve robust T cell expansion with ImmunoCult-XF.

The Immunology Round Up

Glycan Breakdown and Bacterial Function – Researchers used a large-scale screen to identify enzyme systems that represent an underappreciated mode of glycan degradation.

Cancer Risk after CAR T Therapy – Only a small percentage of patients who receive CAR T therapies develop secondary cancers, and most are not directly linked to CAR T treatment.

CD8⁺ T Cells in Hepatitis B – Hepatocellular priming induces key co-signaling receptors in dysfunctional CD8⁺ T cells.

T Cell Aging – T cell epigenetic clocks measure replicative history and can continue to accumulate well-beyond organismal lifespan.

Image courtesy of Dr. Susan Kaech

Guest:

Dr. Priya Devarajan is an Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University. Her work focuses on immune memory and respiratory immunology. She talks about how aging affects the immune system and strategies to promote immune responses in the nose and lungs. She also discusses improving influenza vaccine responses and her experience interviewing for faculty positions.

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• Keep current with the latest in pulmonary cell news.
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The Immunology Science Round Up

γδ T Cells Across the Life Span – Antigenic exposures over childhood drive the functional evolution and tissue compartmentalization of γδ T cells.

Glucose Restriction and Viral Response – Glucose restriction is a physiological mechanism to bring the body into a heightened state of responsiveness to viral pathogens.

A Gene Desert Implicated in Autoimmunity – Researchers used functional genomics to identify a central regulator of human inflammatory macrophages.

Stripy T Cells – Some T cells within a population have nuclear envelope invaginations that concentrate cellular organelles.

Image courtesy of Dr. Priya Devarajan

Guest:

Dr. Erika Moore is an Assistant Professor in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering at the University of Maryland, where her lab is committed to engineering biomaterial models that harness the regenerative potential of the immune system. She talks about building biomaterials, rejuvenating macrophages, and treating lupus. She also discusses using the right cells in research and promoting financial literacy to make science careers more accessible.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Heart Failure – Bone marrow can carry an innate immune memory of cardiac stress that may exacerbate heart failure.

Epstein Barr and B Cells – Virus-orchestrated NAD biosynthesis is a druggable metabolic vulnerability of Epstein Barr virus-driven B cell transformations.

Microbiome Modulation in Pregnancy – Bacterial conversion of corticoids into progestins may affect host physiology, particularly in the context of pregnancy.

The Circadian Rhythm and Tumor Immunosuppression – Circadian gating of tumor immunosuppression informs the timing and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Image courtesy of Dr. Erika Moore

Guest:

Dr. Kellen Cavagnero is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, San Diego.  His PhD work focused on how fibroblasts — a cell type thought to be immunologically inert — contribute to chronic inflammatory conditions and defense against pathogens. He talks about staph infections, antimicrobial resistance, and the types and roles of fibroblasts. He also discusses his work in science communication, including his podcast, Inflammatory Content.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Malaria Immunity – Scientists leveraged a human malaria infection study to investigate functional correlates of immunity.

CAR T Therapy for HIV – Anti-HIV-1 CAR-T cells armed with endogenic broadly neutralizing antibodies resulted in significant suppression of viral rebound in HIV patients.

Immunogenic Cell Death – Researchers generated a small-molecule proteolysis-targeting chimera that selectively degraded human and murine RIPK1.

Origins of Autoimmunity – NUDCD3 is required for healthy T and B cell development in humans.

Image courtesy of Dr. Kellen Cavagnero

In May 2024, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2024, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists, in Chicago. We spoke with delegates about their research and impressions of the meeting, including their reasons for attending and the most memorable research presented.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Prepare for your next conference.

Guests:

Dr. Jo Viney is the CEO, President, & Co-Founder and Dr. Ryan Peckner is the Director of Machine Learning & Computational Biology at Seismic Therapeutic. In this special episode recorded in front of a live audience at IMMUNOLOGY2024 in Chicago, they discuss artificial intelligence and its applications in drug discovery and protein engineering. They talk about its limitations, its role in clinical trials, and how scientists can leverage these tools to advance their careers.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Catch up on daily summaries of IMMUNOLOGY2024 sessions.
• Prepare for your next conference!

Images courtesy of Drs. Jo Viney and Ryan Peckner

In May 2024, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2024, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Chicago, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the final of five special episodes from the meeting, where Brenda and Jason talk about sessions including the dysfunction of exhaustive T cells enforced by MCT11-mediated lactate metabolism and extrafollicular differentiated B cells, presented by former podcast guest Dr. Frances Lund.

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• Prepare for your next conference

In May 2024, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2024, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Chicago, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the fourth of five special episodes from the meeting, where Brenda and Jason highlight discussions on tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy, chaired by former podcast guest Dr. Kristin Anderson, as well as fueling T cell fate decision during infection with an initial focus on immunometabolism.

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• Download a free ebook on cell separation!

In May 2024, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2024, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Chicago, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the third of five special episodes from the meeting. Brenda and Jason spotlight discussions on cellular responses of microbial and parasitic infection and the immunology of pregnancy with a focus on glycan regulation of fetomaternal tolerance.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Explore free immunology wallcharts!

In May 2024, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2024, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Chicago, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the second of five special episodes from the meeting. Brenda and Jason discuss highlights from sessions including microbial and environmental influences on the gut and recent breakthroughs in emerging therapeutic strategies for chronic inflammatory and fibrotic diseases.

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• Stay up-to-date with the latest in immune regulation news.

In May 2024, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2024, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Chicago, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the first of five special episodes from the meeting, in which Jason and Brenda highlight sessions on innate and innate-like cells and transplant immunology. Discussions include the role of hypothermia in protecting ventilator-induced lung damage and Siglec-E knockout in transplant rejection.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Stay up-to-date with the latest in human immunology news.

Guest:

Dr. Caleb Lareau is an Assistant Professor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. His lab aims to understand how cells in our bodies adapt, expand, and evolve during the course of our lives, particularly in the immune system. He talks about cross-training in bioinformatics and immunology, and herpesvirus reactivation in CAR T cells.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Check out the program for IMMUNOLOGY2024, happening May 3-7 in Chicago!
• Attend a live show on artificial intelligence in immunology.

The Immunology Round Up

Blocking Lung Injury in Influenza – Scientists developed an inhibitor to block necroptosis in severe influenza infections.

Germinal Center Memory B Cells – IL-4 signaling can regulate memory B cell selection.

Intestinal Barrier Defence – Citrobacter rodentium targets a subset of absorptive intestinal epithelial cells in the mid–distal colon, which stimulate T cells to produce sustained IL-22 signals to mitigate further spread of the pathogen.

Fast-Acting Glucocorticoids – The anti-inflammatory properties of glucocorticoids involve reprogramming of the mitochondrial metabolism of macrophages.

Image courtesy of Dr. Caleb Lareau

Guest:

Dr. Mitchell Kronenberg is a Professor and President Emeritus at La Jolla Institute for Immunology. His lab studies how innate-like T cells adapt to different tissue environments. He talks about his work on MAIT cells and mucosal immunology, as well as his time leading the Institute.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Check out the program for IMMUNOLOGY2024, taking place May 3-7 in Chicago!
• Get updates about new mentorship content from Lab Coats & Life.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Immune System Regeneration – Depleting myeloid-biased HSCs in aged mice restores features of a more youthful immune system.

Gasdermin in Pyroptosis – Gasdermin D N-terminal domain palmitoylation controls gasdermin membrane localization and activation.

Antibody-Drug Conjugates for Cancer – Scientists developed an antibody–drug conjugate that could kill TRBC1⁺ cancer cells in vitro and cure human T cell cancers in mouse models.

Hemorrhagic Fever Cell Receptors – The low density lipoprotein receptor is critical for the Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever virus to enter host cells.

Image courtesy of Dr. Mitchell Kronenberg

Guest:

Dr. Scott Canna is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Rheumatology), and Attending Physician, Pediatric Rheumatology and Immune Dysregulation at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. His group studies the mechanisms of immune dysregulation. He talks about auto- and hyperinflammatory diseases and the role of IL-18. He also discusses hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and adapting therapies for children.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Check out the program for IMMUNOLOGY2024!
• Listen to the new Lab Coats & Life Podcast, featuring Brenda and Jason as co-hosts!

The Immunology Science Round Up

Microbial Metabolites in Infectious Diseases – Dietary tryptophan protects against gastrointestinal infection by activating the neurotransmitter receptor dopamine receptor D2.

T Cell Tolerance – Scientists used neural networks and hybrid mice to see how the transcription factor AIRE recognizes gene promoters.

Microbes in Immunotherapy – Lactobacillus johnsonii promotes the production of indole-3-propionic acid, which improves immune checkpoint blockade responsiveness.

Alzheimer’s Disease Microglia – Research suggests a link between genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and microglial lipid droplet accumulation.

Image courtesy of Dr. Scott Canna

Guest:

Dr. Neelika Malavige is the Head of Dengue Global Program and Scientific Affairs at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative and a Professor in the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Her research focuses on dengue: its pathogenesis, vascular leak, immune correlates of protection, and biomarkers. She talks about the disease burden of dengue and her investigations into risk factors for severe disease. She also discusses her research on COVID-19 vaccines and the role of the microbiome in colon cancer, as well as how she’s working to grow research capabilities in Sri Lanka.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Register now for IMMUNOLOGY2024, happening May 3 – 7 in Chicago!
• Enter to win a free lab coat from the new Lab Coats & Life Podcast.

The Immunology Round Up

SOX17 in Colorectal Cancer – Scientists used AKP organoids to demonstrate that SOX17 orchestrates immune evasion in the early steps of colon cancer.

Tregs in Tumor Immunity – Lactate uptake by Treg cells contributes to the efficacy of CTLA-4 blockade.

Astrocytes in Autoimmunity – Researchers identified astrocyte-derived heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor as a potential therapeutic target in multiple sclerosis.

αβ T Cell Development – By studying patients with pre-TCRα deficiency, scientists found that pre-TCRα may not be absolutely required for αβ T cell development in humans.

Image courtesy of Dr. Neelika Malavige

Guest:

Dr. James Allison is the Regental Professor and Chair of the Department of Immunology, Olga Keith Wiess Distinguished University Chair for Cancer Research, Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Research, Executive Director of the Immunotherapy Platform, and Director of the James P. Allison Institute at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Dr. Allison has spent a distinguished career studying the regulation of T cell responses and developing strategies for cancer immunotherapy. He earned the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, which he shared with Dr. Tasuku Honjo, “for their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation.” His current work seeks to improve immune checkpoint blockade therapies currently used by clinicians and identify new targets to unleash the immune system in order to eradicate cancer. He talks about the hunt for the T cell receptor and working to bring CTLA-4 blockade into the clinic. He also discusses what’s next for immunotherapy, including future investigations into myeloid cells, and playing the harmonica in a band.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Register now for IMMUNOLOGY2024!
• Enter to win a free lab coat and learn about mentorship in science.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Overcoming Antibacterial Resistance – A new antibiotic targets multi-drug-resistant bacteria by binding to ribosomes.

Tregs in Visceral Adipose Tissue – Visceral adipose tissue harbors two distinct Treg cell populations: one enriched in males and one enriched in females.

How IL-23 Fuels Tumor Growth – A subset of Tregs are responsible for the tumor-promoting effect of IL-23.

Smoking and the Immune System – Smoking affects adaptive immune responses for years after quitting.

Image courtesy of Dr. James Allison

Guests:

Dr. Akiko Iwasaki is the Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale University and President of the American Association of Immunologists. Francisco Gomez-Rivera is an Immunology Program Graduate Student Candidate at the University of Michigan, and Dr. Jason (Swinburne) Augustine is a retired Research Microbiologist/Immunologist at the US Environmental Protection Agency. They talk about the upcoming IMMUNOLOGY2024 meeting in Chicago, Illinois from May 3-7, 2024. They discuss key sessions to attend, what they’re looking forward to at the meeting, and advice for attendees.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Check out the program for the IMMUNOLOGY2024 meeting.
• Get updates about new mentorship content.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Bacteria in Gastric Cancer – Streptococcus anginosus promotes gastric tumorigenesis via direct interactions with gastric epithelial cells.

CAR T Cells for Aging – Senolytic CAR T cells safely eliminate senescent cells in young animals.

Microbiota and Tuft Cell Biology – Microbiota calibrate type 2 immunity in the intestine by controlling tuft cell differentiation.

Sex Differences in Autoimmunity – Autoantibodies to the Xist ribonucleoprotein characterize female-biased autoimmune diseases.

Images courtesy of Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, Robert Lisak, Francisco Gomez-Rivera, and Dr. Jason (Swinburne) Augustine

Guest:

Dr. Dionna Williams is an Acting Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology at Emory University. Their research focuses on the effects of HIV infection on the brain. She talks about how HIV affects immune cells in the brain and how this can lead to neuropsychiatric symptoms. They also discuss therapeutic approaches, factors that affect how drugs can reach the brain, and moving their lab to Atlanta.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Sign up now for IMMUNOLOGY2024, happening May 3-7 in Chicago.
• Get Updates about New Mentorship Content

The Immunology Round Up

A Long Covid Blood Signature – Active Long Covid is accompanied by a blood protein signature marked by increased complement activation and thromboinflammation.

T Cells in Guillain–Barré Syndrome –Autoreactive T cells that target myelin antigens in the peripheral nerves are present in patients with the demyelinating form of Guillain–Barré syndrome.

A CAR-NK Cell Clinical Trial – Researchers identified features of donated cord blood associated with improved response to CAR-NK cell therapy for B cell malignancies.

Cas9-Packaging Enveloped Delivery Vehicles – Researchers developed an antibody-directed strategy for delivering genome engineering tools to specific cell types.

Image courtesy of Dr. Dionna Williams

Guests:

Dr. Akiko Iwasaki is the Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale University and President of the American Association of Immunologists (AAI), and Dr. Aimee Bernard is an Assistant Professor of Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Colorado. Dr. Iwasaki has a very active presence on X, where she shares about COVID-19 research. Dr. Bernard is also active on social media through her TikTok account, and co-hosts a podcast, Help! Make It Make Sense.

In this episode, they discuss the importance of communicating science to the public and strategies for social media. They also talk about how the AAI is working to share immunology knowledge with non-scientists through Immunology Explained.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Register now for IMMUNOLOGY2024, happening May 3-7 in Chicago!
• Stay up-to-date with the latest in cell biology news.

The Immunology Round Up

A New Antibiotic for Gram-Negative Bacteria – A mechanism of lipid transport inhibition has been identified for a class of peptide antibiotics effective against resistant Acinetobacter strains.

Treg Depletion As Cancer Treatment – Researchers examined the mechanism of Treg cell depletion failure using a mouse model of Treg cell–targeted immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy Resistance in Melanoma – Using single-cell, spatial multi-omics, scientists showed that the tumor microenvironment promotes the emergence of a complex melanoma transcriptomic landscape.

An Immune Dictionary of Cytokine Responses – Scientists created single-cell transcriptomic profiles of more than 17 immune cell types in response to each of 86 cytokines in mouse lymph nodes in vivo.

Images courtesy of Robert Lisak, YSM and Dr. Aimee Bernard

In 2023, we attended the 18^th International Congress of Immunology, hosted by the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS), in Cape Town, South Africa. We spoke with delegates about their research and impressions of the meeting, including their reasons for attending and the most memorable research presented. They discuss their experiences in South Africa, the meeting’s focus on infectious diseases and equitable science, and sessions by Nobel laureates.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Register for IMMUNOLOGY2024, taking place May 3-7 in Chicago!
• STEMCELL Technologies is hiring!

Guest:

Dr. David Gibb is an Assistant Professor at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. His lab investigates inflammatory mechanisms in patients with sickle cell disease and lupus, focusing on mechanisms regulating immune responses to red blood cell antigens following transfusion.

Featured Products and Resources:

• IMMUNOLOGY2024 is happening May 3-7, 2024, in Chicago. Register now!
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The Immunology Round Up

Regulation of Lymphoid Cells – NOD1 functions in murine hematopoietic cells as a major regulator of both the generation and differentiation of lymphoid progenitors.

The Aging Immune System – Type 2 memory CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells increase with age and can produce more IL-4.

Microglia in Cancer Metastasis – Microglia play a distinct pro-inflammatory and tumor-suppressive role in breast cancer brain metastasis.

MAIT Cells in Mice and Humans – Environment influences MAIT cell development and function.

In 2023, we attended the 18^th International Congress of Immunology, hosted by the International Union of Immunological Societies, in Cape Town, South Africa, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the conference. Here is the final of five special episodes from the meeting, in which Brenda and Jason discuss sessions on integrins and ebola vaccine trials.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Join a live webinar on January 23, 2024, to learn more about the most recent advances in CRISPR genome editing of primary cells.

In 2023, we attended the 18^th International Congress of Immunology, hosted by the International Union of Immunological Societies, in Cape Town, South Africa, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the conference. Here is the fourth of five special episodes from the meeting, in which Brenda and Jason discuss sessions on the HIV/AIDS epidemic and vaccination strategies to prepare for the next pandemic.

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In 2023, we attended the 18^th International Congress of Immunology, hosted by the International Union of Immunological Societies, in Cape Town, South Africa, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the conference. Here is the third of five special episodes from the meeting, in which Brenda and Jason discuss research on T cell exhaustion in chronic infections and sex differences in immune responses.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Achieve robust T cell expansion with high cell yield and viability using STEMCELL Technologies’ GMP-manufactured ImmunoCult-XF.

In 2023, we attended the 18^th International Congress of Immunology, hosted by the International Union of Immunological Societies, in Cape Town, South Africa, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the conference. Here is the second of five special episodes from the meeting, in which Brenda and Jason discuss research on the microbiome, sepsis, and the aging immune system.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Perform large-volume cell processing with the Easy 250 EasySep Magnet.

In 2023, we attended the 18^th International Congress of Immunology, hosted by the International Union of Immunological Societies, in Cape Town, South Africa, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the conference. Here is the first of five special episodes from the meeting, in which Brenda and Jason discuss the opening ceremony of the congress as well as sessions on tuberculosis, γδ T cell receptors, and cancer immunotherapy.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Isolate cells in as little as 8 minutes with EasySep

Guest:

Dr. Anjali Kusumbe is a Group Leader and Director of the Tissue Imaging Centre at Oxford University. Her lab studies vascular changes over time with the aim of treating diseases. She talks about light sheet microscopy techniques, the aging immune system, and finding lymphatic vessels in bone.

Featured Products and Resources:

• IUIS 2023 is almost here!
• Enter to win $500 USD towards a cell or gene therapy conference.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Herpesvirus in CAR T Cell Therapy – A population of ‘super-expressor’ CAR T cells can contribute to the reactivation of latent human herpesvirus 6.

Autoantibodies in NF-κB2 Deficiency – Inborn errors of the alternative NF-κB pathway underlie the production of autoantibodies against type I interferons and predisposition to viral diseases.

A Rheumatoid Arthritis Atlas – Scientists built a single-cell atlas of rheumatoid arthritis synovial tissue.

Tregs After Exercise – Researchers identified Tregs as a key regulatory element that is activated in response to exercise and needed to support muscle adaptations.

Image courtesy of Dr. Anjali Kusumbe

Guest:

Dr. Sophia Liu is a Core Faculty Member and Early Independence Fellow at the Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard. She enjoys creating new ways to measure temporally and spatially dynamic cell interactions and is particularly interested in studying T- and B-cell development. Her lab’s research focuses on immune cell interactions in tissues and dynamics across immune development and aging. She talks about the spatial mapping of T-cell receptors, what happens to the thymus during aging, and her experience starting a lab straight out of her PhD!

Featured Products and Resources:

• Check out the program for IUIS 2023!
• Download a free eBook on cell separation.

The Immunology Science Round Up

A Functional Coronavirus Receptor – Scientists identified a functional receptor for a coronavirus that causes the common cold.

Counting Immune Cells in the Human Body – An average individual’s immune system consists of approximately 1.8 trillion cells.

Gut Bacteria in Type 1 Diabetes – IgG2 antibodies against three gut microbial commensals are associated with time to diagnosis and clinical response to T cell-directed therapy for type 1 diabetes prevention.

Lymph Node Immune History – Tregs can form resident memory-like populations in lymph nodes after adaptive immune responses.

Image courtesy of Dr. Sophia Liu

Guest:

Dr. Siobhan Burns is a Professor of Translational Immunology at University College London. Her group studies the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms that give rise to primary immunodeficiency disorders. She talks about how genetic mutations affect immune function, and what inborn errors of immunity can teach us about general immunology.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Check out the program for IUIS 2023!
• Keep current with the latest in human immunology news.

The Immunology Science Round Up

A Cryptic Antigen in Influenza – Researchers identified a nonclassical MHC epitope that directs the T cell response against influenza.

Drug-Resistant Malaria Parasites – Scientists generated atovaquone-resistant malaria parasites and showed that they fail to transmit by mosquito.

Transplanting Genetically Modified Pig Kidneys into Monkeys – Scientists showed that preclinical studies of renal xenotransplantation could be successfully conducted in nonhuman primates.

Dendritic Cells to Reduce Immunosuppression After Liver Transplant – Liver transplant recipients who receive regulatory dendritic cells may require less immunosuppressive drugs.

Guest:

Dr. Peter Fecci is a Professor of Neurosurgery at Duke University and the Director of the Duke Center for Brain and Spine Metastasis. His research focuses on brain tumor immunology and immunotherapy, and T cell dysfunction in glioblastoma and other intracranial cancers. He talks about activating T cells to target brain tumors and his team’s work on targeting MHC-I-negative tumor cells.

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• Register now for the International Congress of Immunology in South Africa!
• Keep current with the latest in neural cell news.

The Immunology Science Round Up

A Universal Flu Vaccine Candidate – A group 2 hemagglutinin universal influenza virus vaccine candidate protects mice against group 2 influenza viruses.

Regulatory T Cells in Muscle Function – Exercise induces a highly functional and stable muscle Treg phenotype.

An Antiviral Drug and SARS-CoV-2 Mutations – Scientists identified a mutational spectrum from viruses in patients treated with molnupiravir.

Microbial Exposure and Allergic Inflammation – Increased microbial biodiversity in mice does not protect against allergic inflammation, in contrast to what would be predicted by the hygiene hypothesis.

Image courtesy of Dr. Peter Fecci

Guest:

Dr. Alice Long is an Associate Member and Principal Investigator at Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, where her lab focuses on discovering how tolerance is lost in human autoimmunity and how therapy can restore tolerance.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Attend IUIS 2023, the world’s leading conference in the field of immunology.
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The Immunology Science Round Up

Insights into B Cell Selection – Antigen-presenting autoreactive B cells play a crucial role in tolerizing T cells and suppressing tissue-specific autoimmune inflammation.

A New Perspective for IBD Management – Researchers discovered a polymorphism encoding a defective fusion protein that is correlated with inflammatory bowel disease severity.

A Neuropeptide in Type 2 Immunity – Scientists show that neuromedin U programs eosinophils to promote mucosal immunity of the small intestine.

Intestinal Antigen Recognition and Humoral Immunity – A new study shows that antigen receptor signaling and cell death resistance control intestinal humoral response zonation.

Image courtesy of Alice Long

Guest:

Dr. Kristin Anderson is an Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia, where her lab focuses on engineering T cells to overcome immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment. She talks about how her cancer diagnosis changed her career focus, strategies for targeting ovarian cancer, and her transition from postdoc to professor.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Register now for IUIS 2023!
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The Immunology Science Round Up

Antibiotic Binding Site Mutations – Researchers studied the rifampicin binding site of E. coli RNA polymerase.

CRISPR Screens for Cancer – Scientists combined genome-wide CRISPR screens in target cancer cells to identify pathways that regulate γδ T cell killing and BTN3A cell surface expression.

Tissue-Resident T Cell Metabolism – Researchers explored the metabolic adaptations supporting differentiation, survival, and function of tissue-resident memory CD8⁺ T cells.

Towards a Universal CAR T Cell Therapy for Blood Cancers – Epitope-edited CAR T cells were effective against patient-derived acute myeloid leukemia, B cell lymphoma, and acute T cell leukemia.

Image courtesy of Dr. Kristin Anderson

Guest:

Dr. Vinod Blachandran is an Attending Surgeon and Lab Head at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He talks about neoantigen vaccines for pancreatic cancer, what can be learned from a rare group of long-term survivors, and how surgeon-scientist mentors have influenced his career.

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• Stay up-to-date with the latest in pancreatic cell news.
• Register for IUIS 2023!

The Immunology Science Round Up

Platelet Factors in Aging – Platelet factors transfer the benefits of young blood to the aging mouse brain.

Cellular Immunity in Influenza – Adaptive T cells protect against symptomatic influenza infection.

Interactions Between the Immune System and the Gut Microbiome – T cells in the gut repertoire recognize several bacterial strains from complex defined communities.

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Signaling in Lung Endothelial Cells – Aryl hydrocarbon receptor and its ligands play an important part in protecting against tissue damage following viral pathogen infection in the lung.

Image courtesy of Dr. Vinod Balachandran

Guest:

Dr. Greg Delgoffe is an Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh. His lab studies the intersection of metabolism and immunity in cancer. He talks about the metabolism of immune cells in cancer and the effects of nutrients in the tumor microenvironment.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Register for IUIS 2023!
• Download a free wallchart on the production of CAR T cells.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Microbes in Diabetes Drug Responses – Researchers identified a microbiota-derived enzyme as a potential antidiabetic target.

STING Can Transport Protons – Scientists analyzed STING’s structure, hypothesizing that its transmembrane domain forms a pore capable of proton transport.

cGAS–STING in Neurodegeneration – The cGAS–STING signaling pathway is a critical driver of chronic inflammation and functional decline during aging.

T Cells Can Kill MHC-I Negative Tumor Cells – CD8⁺ T cells maintain the capacity to kill tumor cells that are entirely devoid of MHC-I expression.

Image courtesy of Dr. Greg Delgoffe

Guest:

Dr. Daniel Streicker is a Professor of Viral Ecology at the University of Glasgow, where his lab investigates pathogen transmission between species. He talks about vampire bats as a reservoir for rabies and approaches to vaccination that could prevent transmission.

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• Register for IUIS 2023 in  Cape Town, South Africa.
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The Immunology Science Round Up

Sleep Disturbance in Cardiac Disease – Sleep disruption in cardiac disease is driven by the loss of neurons that normally project from the superior cervical ganglia into the pineal gland.

Influenza Vaccine Format and Antibody Responses – Using a human tonsil organoid model, researchers tracked the differentiation and kinetics of the adaptive immune response to influenza vaccine and virus modalities.

Multipronged T Cells – Single T cells from successful immunotherapy recognize multiple cancer types.

γδ T Cells in Solid Tumors – Tumor-infiltrating γδ T cells consist of functionally distinct subsets with tumor-promoting or -restricting functions.

Image courtesy of Dr. Daniel Streicker

Guest:

Dr. Jamie Spangler is an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins. Her lab implements a unique structure-based engineering approach to elucidate the determinants of protein activity and inform drug development. She talks about designing cytokine mimetics and how engineered cytokines could be used as therapeutics.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Microenvironment Reprogramming in Cancer Progression – Researchers developed a high-resolution tumor microenvironment atlas for gastric adenocarcinoma.

Tregs and Cell Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease – Co-transplanting Tregs with iPSC-derived neurons improves cell survival.

How Hepatitis C Hides from the Immune System – Flavin adenine dinucleotide capping of the hepatitis C virus protects RNA from RIG-I mediated innate immune recognition.

Mast Cells in Antigen-Avoidance – Mast cell activation in the stomach lining releases leukotrienes to affect food avoidance behavior.

Allergic Responses and Behavior Modification – Researchers showed that allergic sensitization drives antigen-specific avoidance behavior in mouse models of food allergy.

Image courtesy of Dr. Jamie Spangler

Guests:

Dr. Laura Raff is Associate Director, Sales, Immunology and Dr. Ami Ashar-Patel is a Senior Account Manager, Immunology at STEMCELL Technologies. Dr. Raff has a PhD in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Southern California and Dr. Ashar-Patel has a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology from the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. They talk about their career transitions from academia to industry and how they support scientists’ research endeavors in their current roles.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Register for IUIS 2023!
• Learn about career opportunities in biotechnology and hear advice for making the move to industry.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Multiplexed Screening of G-Protein-Coupled Receptors – Scientists screened 1,041 human-associated metabolites against and uncovered previously unreported endogenous, exogenous, and microbial G-protein-coupled receptor agonists.

New Oral Polio Vaccines – Genetically engineered polio vaccine candidates reduce the likelihood of Sabin strains regaining fitness and neurovirulence.

Fecal Transplants and Immune Checkpoint Inhibition – Fecal microbiota transfer from healthy donors promotes resolution of refractory immune checkpoint-inhibitor mediated colitis in patients with cancer.

Macrophages in the Nervous System – Resident macrophages of the muscularis externa refine the enteric nervous system early in life.

Images courtesy of STEMCELL Technologies

Guest:

Dr. Alessandro Sette is a Center Head, Division Head, and Professor at the La Jolla Institute of Allergy and Immunology. His lab focuses on understanding the immune response, measuring immune activity, and developing disease intervention strategies against cancer, autoimmunity, allergy, and infectious diseases. He talks about bringing a biotech mindset back to academia, cross-reactive T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2, and compiling an immune-epitope database.

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• Register for the 18^th IUIS International Congress of Immunology, to be held in Cape Town from 27 November-2 December 2023.
• Read interviews with immunologists.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Gut T Cells and Cancer Metastasis – A subset of CD8⁺ T cells from colon tumors improves control of liver tumors in a preclinical model of colorectal carcinoma.

α2-adrenergic Receptors and Immunotherapy – α2-Adrenergic receptor agonists have very strong anti-tumor activity when used as monotherapies in multiple immunocompetent tumor models.

Bacteria in Immune Checkpoint Blockade – Antibiotic-induced changes in gut microbiota resulted in relocation of immunosuppressive T cells from the gut to tumors.

Base Editing CAR T Cells – Researchers investigated the safety of base-edited CAR T cells in three children with relapsed leukemia.

Image courtesy of Dr. Alessandro Sette

In May 2023, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2023, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists, in Washington, DC. We spoke with delegates about their research and impressions of the meeting, including their reasons for attending, what they were most looking forward to, and the most memorable research presented.

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• Register for the International Union of Immunological Societies 2023 Congress in Cape Town, South Africa from November 27 to December 2.
• Prepare for your next conference.

Guest:

Dr. Bana Jabri is the Sarah and Harold Lincoln Thompson Professor in the Department of Medicine and the Research Director of the Celiac Disease Center at the University of Chicago. Her research focuses on innate and mucosal immunity, particularly in celiac disease, autoimmune disorders, and inflammatory bowel disease. She talks about the mechanisms of celiac disease and new treatment options. She also discusses how the microbiome can affect immune responses in cancer.

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• Stay up-to-date with the latest in immune regulation news.
• Download free immunology wallcharts.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Capsules to Study the Intestinal Environment – Scientists developed an ingestible device that collects samples from multiple regions of the human intestinal tract during digestion.

T Cell Receptor Affinity – Repetitive pathogen exposure leads to the dominant outgrowth of T cell clones with high T cell receptor affinity to the relevant pathogen-associated antigens.

Gut Bacterial Evolution Between Species – Analyses of metagenome-resolved genomes from humans and primate species reveal significant co-diversification of bacterial gut symbionts.

A Pancreatic Cancer Vaccine – Researchers synthesized mRNA neoantigen vaccines in real time from surgically resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tumors.

Image courtesy of Dr. Bana Jabri

In May 2023, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2023, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Washington, DC, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the final of five special episodes from the meeting. Brenda and Jason talk about sessions on mucosal immunity, emerging pathogens, and having a successful postdoctoral experience. Highlights include Dr. Isaac Chiu‘s talk on pain and mucus production in the gut, Dr. James Crowe‘s talk on monoclonal antibody discovery, and Dr. Amy Hartman’s talk on Rift Valley fever virus.

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• Read interviews with immunologists.
• Watch videos on career development from the NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education.

In May 2023, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2023, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Washington, DC, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the fourth of five special episodes from the meeting. Brenda and Jason talk about micelles for drug delivery and how helminth infection affects susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2.

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• Explore Free Immunology Wallcharts

In May 2023, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2023, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Washington, DC, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the third of five special episodes from the meeting. Highlights include Dr. Anthony Fauci’s talk on the COVID-19 pandemic response and Dr. Doug Green’s talk on T cell activation. Jason and Brenda discuss sessions on immune responses in aging and obesity, and making better cancer vaccines.

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• Prepare for your next conference with this toolkit.

In May 2023, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2023, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Washington, DC, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the second of five special episodes from the meeting. Brenda and Jason discuss sessions on peripheral neuroimmune interactions and tumor cellular therapy. Highlights include the President’s Address by Dr. Mark Davis and Dr. Barbara Rehermann’s presentation on wild mouse microbiota.

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• Explore STEMCELL Technologies’ workshops and resources at IMMUNOLOGY2023

In May 2023, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2023, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Washington, DC, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the first of five special episodes from the meeting, in which Jason and Brenda summarize symposia on B and T-helper cells, and metabolic and gut microbiota. They discuss antigenic imprinting, lupus immunophenotyping and sex differences, dengue vaccines, and cytomegalovirus research.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Explore STEMCELL Technologies’ workshops at IMMUNOLOGY2023

Guest:

Dr. Prasanna Jagannathan is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in Infectious Diseases and of Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford University. His research focuses on the mechanisms of clinical immunity to malaria. He talks about how repeated exposure to malaria can lead to tolerance without symptoms, promising vaccines and treatments to prevent reinfection, and the role of innate immune cells. He also discusses shifting from religious studies to teaching to medicine, and establishing long-term collaborations with researchers in Uganda.

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• We’ll see you at IMMUNOLOGY2023!
• Keep current with the latest immunology of infectious diseases news.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Blocking Psoriasis Signaling with Methotrexate – Scientists identified SLC46A2 as an important target for anti-inflammatory intervention in the skin.

Tumor-Infiltrating Tregs – Researchers discovered and validated new master regulators of human tumor-infiltrating Tregs.

T_H9 Cells and Allergic Inflammation – JAK inhibitors may be effective for allergic patients with T_H9 cell expansion.

Gene Editing Primary Lymphocytes – Researchers used a CRISPR ribonucleoprotein mixed with an amphiphilic peptide to increase the yields of edited primary human lymphocytes.

Peptide-Assisted Genome Editing – Scientists demonstrated rapid and efficient editing of primary cells with low cellular toxicity and no significant transcriptional perturbation.

Image courtesy of Dr. Prasanna Jagannathan

Guest:

Dr. Joshua Brody is the Director of the Lymphoma Immunotherapy Program at the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai. The Brody lab studies basic and applied tumor immunology for the development of cancer immunotherapies, particularly for lymphomas and melanomas. He talks about dendritic cells to improve oncolytic virus immunotherapy and in situ vaccination to improve PD-1 blockade responses.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Enhancing T Cell Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 Variants – A new mRNA vaccine component elicits non-spike T cell responses in mice while maintaining spike immunity.

Why Infants Are Protected from Pneumonia – Enhanced opsonophagocytosis by neonatal neutrophils improves protection against Streptococcus pneumoniae in early life.

Tertiary Lymphoid Structures and Lung Cancer Immunotherapy – Researchers identified endogenous retrovirus envelope glycoproteins as a dominant antitumor antibody target in lung cancer.

Engineered Bacteria As a Melanoma Vaccine – Scientists engineered a Staphylococcus epidermidis strain to express melanoma tumor antigens and tested their ability to drive antitumor immune responses.

Image courtesy of Dr. Joshua Brody

Guest:

Dr. Doug Green is the Peter C. Doherty Endowed Chair of Immunology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. His research focuses on the central mechanisms of cell death, survival, and the immune response. He talks about what happens when cell death fails, the role of Myc, and setting up collaborations in science.

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• Register for IMMUNOLOGY2023
• Watch a Free Webinar on Best Practices and Innovative Technologies for T Cell Therapy Research.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Gut Bacteria and Social Avoidance – Colonic γδ T cells modulate behavioral vulnerability to chronic social stress via dectin-1 signaling.

Base Editing to Treat Severe Combined Immunodeficiency –  Researchers used an adenine base editing strategy to restore CD3δ in autologous hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.

FcμR–IgM Interaction – Scientists used crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy to study how FcμR recognizes different forms of IgM to regulate diverse immune responses.

Tissue-Resident Macrophage Differentiation – Researchers analyzed immune cells in the pleural cavity of C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice and found different responses to nematode infection.

Image courtesy of Dr. Doug Green

Guests:

Dr. Miriam Merad is the President & Scientific Programme Committee Co-Chair of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) and Dr. Mark Davis is the Scientific Programme Committee Chair. They talk about what to expect at the 2023 IUIS Congress being held November 27 – December 2 in Cape Town, South Africa. They discuss hosting the meeting in Africa, the importance of infectious disease research and international collaborations, and the highlights of this year’s program.

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• Attend IMMUNOLOGY2023 May 11-15 in Washington, DC!
• Prepare for your next conference with this toolkit.

The Immunology Science Round Up

PD-L1 and Myeloid Signaling – PD-L1 promotes metastatic, but not primary, tumor growth via a cytotoxic T lymphocyte-dependent mechanism.

T Cell Responses to SARS-CoV-2 – Researchers used “spheromer” peptide MHC multimer reagents to analyze T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination.

ER Stress Promotes Th17 Differentiation – ER stress in intestinal epithelial cells drives gut Th17 differentiation.

How Sucralose Affects T Cells – High doses of sucralose in mice results in immunomodulatory effects by limiting T cell proliferation and T cell differentiation.deling and two melanoma patients.

Image courtesy of Drs. Miriam Merad and Mark Davis

Guest:

Dr. Clovis Palmer is an Assistant Professor at Tulane University. He talks about how HIV hijacks metabolic processes and the role of HIF-1α in HIV infection. He also discusses using non-human primates to study SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses.

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• IMMUNOLOGY2023 is taking place in Washington, DC from May 11-15^th!
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The Immunology Science Round Up

Bacterial Brain Invasion – Researchers identified a neuroimmune axis that exacerbates bacterial meningitis.

CAR T Signaling Domains – Scientists engineered a logic-gated intracellular network CAR to prevent on-target, off-tumor toxicity.

Cleaning Up After Apoptosis – Tingible body macrophages use cellular processes to search for and capture motile apoptotic cell fragments.

Autoimmunity in Down’s Syndrome – Researchers found high levels of cytokines in individuals with Down’s syndrome, which may contribute to autoimmune susceptibility.

Image courtesy of Dr. Clovis Palmer

Guests:

Dr. Mark Davis is the President of the American Association of Immunologists, and Drs. Shruti Naik and Daniel Mucida are chairing Major Symposia at the upcoming IMMUNOLOGY2023 meeting in Washington, DC, May 11-15. They discuss what to expect at IMMUNOLOGY2023 and the highlights of this year’s program.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Register for IMMUNOLOGY2023 by March 31 for a special discounted rate.
• Prepare for your next conference with this toolkit.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Targeting Inflammatory Skin Diseases – Researchers identified IRAK4 as a central player in skin inflammation and demonstrate its inhibition as a therapeutic strategy.

CAR T for a Rare Disease – CD19 CAR T therapy successfully treated a patient with refractory antisynthetase syndrome

T Cell Receptor Genes from Archaic Humans – A subset of T cell receptors were traced to Neanderthals in Eurasian populations.

Self-Reactive T Cell Receptors – Scientists identified a population of CD4+ T cells within the endogenous repertoire that exhibit hallmarks of overt self-reactivity.

Image courtesy of Drs. Mark Davis, Shruti Naik, and Daniel Mucida

Guest:

Dr. Hao Wu is the Asa and Patricia Springer Professor of Structural Biology at Harvard Medical School. Her lab focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern the assembly, regulation, and therapeutic intervention of supramolecular complexes in innate immunity. She talks about cryo-electron microscopy and how her team used it to study the structures of the NLRP3 inflammasome disc, the B cell antigen receptor, and the Gasdermin D pore. She also discusses the role of AlphaFold in structural biology research.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Register for IMMUNOLOGY2023!
• Make the most of your conference experience with this toolkit.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Graft-Versus-Host Disease and the Microbiome – In graft-versus-host disease, pathogenic T cells disrupt the intestinal microbiome by altering ambient oxygen levels.

Extracellular Matrix Binding of Interferon-γ – Local interferon-γ retention protects organisms from systemic toxicity during prolonged immune stimulation.

Lipid Metabolism in T Cells – Phospholipid saturation drives effector T cell function.

Inhibiting Peanut Allergy – An inhibitor prevents antibody binding and mast cell activation in a humanized mouse model of peanut allergy.

Image courtesy of Dr. Hao Wu

Guest:

Dr. Caroline Sokol is a Principal Investigator at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Her lab studies the innate immune control of allergic disease.  She talks about the role of sensory neurons and dendritic cells in allergic responses and insights into allergies from her son’s first bee sting.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Microbiome Transmission – Researchers identified microbiome transmission patterns from mother to infant and between cohabitating individuals.

Long-Lasting T Cells – By repeatedly immunizing generations of mice, scientists found that functional T cells can proliferate well beyond the lifespan of the organism.

Dietary Cholesterol and Humoral Immune Responses – Researchers revealed tissue-restricted modulation of IgA secretion by plasma cells that is centered around dietary cholesterol metabolites.

γδ T cells in Immunotherapy – γδ T cells contribute to the response to immune checkpoint blockade in patients with cancers with HLA class I defects.

Image courtesy of Dr. Caroline Sokol

Guests:

In this special episode, Brenda and Jason chat with Drs. Daylon James and Arun Sharma, the hosts of the Stem Cell Podcast. Recorded in-person and led by Dr. Nicole Quinn from STEMCELL Technologies, the four hosts discuss the impact that podcasting has had on their careers and how it can make science and scientists more accessible. They also talk about the future of science communication and advice for young scientists pursuing careers in academia and industry.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Register for IMMUNOLOGY2023 taking place May 11-15 in Washington, DC.

Guest:

Dr. Miriam Merad is a Professor of Cancer Immunology and Director of the Marc and Jennifer Lipschultz Precision Immunology Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Her research focuses on dendritic cells and macrophages.  She talks about tissue-resident macrophages in COVID-19 and cancer. She also discusses her new role as President of the International Union of Immunological Societies and bringing the international immunology community together at their upcoming meeting in South Africa.

Featured Products and Resources:

• Early-Bird Registration Is Open for IMMUNOLOGY2023!
• Free Wallchart: SARS-CoV-2 Structure and Life Cycle

The Immunology Science Round Up

NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation – Researchers used cryo-EM to identify the structure of the active NLRP3 inflammasome disk.

How the BCG Vaccine Induces Trained Immunity – The BCG vaccine triggers epigenetic modifications on alveolar macrophages via an intestinal microbiota-mediated pathway.

Immunotherapy for Type 1 Diabetes – Scientists examined the mechanism of action of low-dose interleukin-2 immunotherapy and identified a long-lived gene expression signature associated with potential anti-inflammatory effects.

pH Affects Interleukin-2 Anti-Tumor Activity – Researchers identified an interleukin-2 variant that retains its binding affinity in low pH environments.

Image courtesy of Dr. Miriam Merad

Guest:

Dr. Jie Sun is the Harrison Professor of Medicine at the University of Virginia. His lab studies respiratory immunology under homeostasis and disease conditions. He talks about how long COVID compares to other post-viral conditions, and his lab’s work investigating mucosal immunity from mRNA vaccines.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Cardiac Autoimmunity – C-Met⁺ T cells are selectively increased in the circulation and in the myocardium of patients with inflammatory cardiomyopathies.

A Universal Flu Vaccine – Scientists developed an mRNA–lipid nanoparticle vaccine encoding hemagglutinin antigens from all 20 known influenza A virus subtypes and influenza B virus lineages.

mRNA Export Rates and Gene Expression – The nuclear export efficiency of innate immune mRNAs varies such that for many genes, only a small fraction of the newly synthesized pre-mRNA reaches the cytoplasm.

Dendritic Cells for Long-Term Tumor Control – Expanding cross-presenting dendritic cells enhances oncolytic virotherapy.

Image courtesy of Dr. Jie Sun

Guest:

Dr. Arthur Liesz is a Professor of Experimental Neurology at the University of Munich. The Liesz lab is interested in the interplay between the brain and the immune system after stroke. He talks about the inflammatory response to stroke, including T cell-modulated microglial activation. He also talks about stroke aftermath, including T cells that remain in the brain and the redistribution of function during recovery.

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• Keep Current with the Latest in Neural Cell News.
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The Immunology Science Round Up

The Microbiome and Metabolome – Researchers dissected the interplay between the gut microbiome and host genome.

Personalized T Cell Therapy – Scientists isolated and cloned multiple T cell receptors recognizing mutational neoantigens.

An Ancestral Tuberculosis Effector Promotes Dissemination – Researchers linked an unusual tuberculosis outbreak with high rates of dissemination and skeletal disease to a specific effector.

A Broadly Neutralizing Influenza Vaccine – Co-immunization with hemagglutinin stem immunogens derived from influenza A viruses elicited cross-group protection.

Image courtesy of Dr. Arthur Liesz

Guest:

Dr. Vijay Kuchroo is the Samuel L. Wasserstrom Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. His major research interests include the role of co-stimulation in autoimmune diseases, as well as cell surface molecules and regulatory factors that regulate the induction of T cell tolerance and dysfunction. He talks about the conditions necessary to differentiate Th17 cells and their role in autoimmunity. He also discusses his group’s discovery of Tim-3, an inhibitor receptor on T cells which is now being exploited for cancer immunotherapy.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Disrupting Calcium Homeostasis – Researchers showed that inherited variants in ITPR3 alter physiologically relevant Ca²⁺ signaling responses, driving defects in immune responses.

Light Chain Coherence in Antibodies – Among naturally occurring antibodies that have adapted to particular antigens, those with similar heavy chains usually have similar light chains.

Anti-CTLA-4 Antibodies Reprogram the Tumor Microenvironment – Scientists used single-cell RNA sequencing to dissect the immune response to anti-CTLA-4 blockade.

An Intranasal Booster for Sarbecoviruses – Researchers used a SARS-CoV-2 intranasal spike booster to elicit mucosal immune memory within the respiratory tract.

Image courtesy of Dr. Vijay Kuchroo

Guests:

Dr. Kristin Patrick is an Assistant Professor and Dr. Robert Watson is an Associate Professor at Texas A&M University. Their joint lab investigates innate immune regulation during bacterial infection. They talk about gasdermin D and cell death in tuberculosis, and how running a lab together helps them prioritize mentorship.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Black Death and Immune Evolution – Researchers identified loci associated with Black Death survival that are also associated with increased susceptibility to autoimmune diseases.

How a Pathogen Inhibits Pyroptosis – A phosphatase secreted by Mycobacterium tuberculosis suppresses pyroptosis by hijacking ubiquitin.

B Cell Antigen Receptor Structure – Scientists report the cryogenic electron microscopy structure of the mouse B cell antigen receptor assembly.

How Pain Protects the Gut – Pain receptors regulate gut microbiota and protect tissues from inflammation.

Image courtesy of Drs. Kristin Patrick and Robert Watson

Guest:

Dr. Henrique Borges da Silva is an Assistant Professor at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona. His main research focus is determining how extracellular nucleotides affect transcriptional, metabolic, and functional mechanisms of CD8⁺ T cells in response to viral infections and cancer. He talks about where extracellular ATP comes from, and how there could be a link between ATP and ADP immunological signaling and the powers of caffeine.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Telomere Transfer in T Cells – An interaction between T cells and antigen presenting cells early in the immune response to viruses may determine how fast T cells decline.

APOE and COVID-19 Outcomes – APOE variants associated with Alzheimer’s disease are also associated with a reduced immune response and increased mortality from COVID-19.

Protecting the Brain from Infection – Scientists identified a new blood-endothelial barrier that separates olfactory mucosa from circulating antibodies.

Bacterial Colonization in the Intestine – An oral bacterium associated with inflammatory bowel disease uses nitrate respiration to colonize the intestine.

Image courtesy of Dr. Henrique Borges da Silva

Guest:

Dr. Indira Mysorekar is a Professor of Medicine and Chief of Basic and Translational Research at Baylor College of Medicine. Her lab studies host–microbial interactions in the urinary bladder and the placenta. She discusses the role of the microbiome and the aging immune landscape in recurrent urinary tract infections. She also talks about her research on Zika and SARS-CoV-2 in the placenta.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Gut Bacteria and Cancer Pathogenesis – Some commensal bacteria promote the development of retrovirus-induced leukemia.

Generating Tolerance to Microbiota – RORγ-expressing cells are responsible for the induction of Tregs in the gut.

Antigen-Presenting Cells Promote Treg Generation – New research reveals parallel pathways for establishing tolerance to self and foreign antigens in the thymus and periphery.

Tissue Destruction in Sjögren’s Syndrome – Sjögren’s syndrome may be caused by self-reactive CD8⁺ cytotoxic T cells.

CAR T Therapy for Lupus –  Anti-CD19 CAR T cell treatment led to remission of systemic lupus erythematosus in a trial of five patients.

Image courtesy of Dr. Indira Mysorekar

Guest:

Dr. Ruth Ley is Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen and Director of the Department of Microbiome Science. Dr. Sara Clasen is a postdoctoral fellow in the same lab. Together, they’re interested in the co-evolution of humans with their microbiomes. They use basic science to investigate the evolutionary history of gut microbes, how they have adapted to life inside humans, and how they affect human biology and health. More recently, they published a pre-print on the silent recognition of flagellins from human gut commensal bacteria by TLR5.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Hair Follicles and Mites – Scientists show that innate type 2 immunity controls hair follicle commensalism by Domedex mites.

The Search for a Shared Neoantigen – Using quantitative immunopeptidomics, researchers have identified a tumor stroma-specific target for T cell therapy.

Gut Microbes Surf the IgA Cycle – New research suggests that circadian networks comprising intestinal IgA, diet, and microbiota converge to align circadian biology in the intestine and to ensure host-microbial mutualism.

A New Way to Make CAR-T Cells – Researchers have successfully generated non-viral, gene-specific targeted CAR-T cells through CRISPR-Cas9.

Images courtesy of Drs. Ruth Ley and Sara Clasen

Guest:

Dr. Leonardo Ferreira is an Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina. The Ferreira lab uses CARs and other engineered immune receptors to dissect how specificity, affinity, and signaling modulate the function of different T cells subsets in tolerance and immunity. He talks about how CAR Tregs could prevent transplant rejection and treat Type 1 diabetes. He also discusses mixing and matching immune cells, the freedom to pursue multiple ideas in academia, and science outreach in Bolivia.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

T Cell Nutrient Use – CD8⁺ T cells preferentially consume lactate over glucose in response to Listeria infection.

Blocking Malaria Transmission – A stabilized malaria antigen induces transmission-blocking antibody responses.

A New Metabolic Pathway in Inflammatory Macrophages – Research suggests that L-ornithine could improve LACC1-associated immunological dysfunctions such as arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease.

T Cell Receptor Avidity – Scientists studied how T cell receptor avidity of tumor-specific T cells affected their anti-tumor capabilities using mouse modeling and two melanoma patients.

Image courtesy of Dr. Leonardo Ferreira

Guest:

Dr. Karen Edelblum is an Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She discusses γδ T cells and immune-epithelial cross-talk in inflammatory bowel disease. She also talks about intravital microscopy and decorating immunology-themed cakes!

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Highlights from the Gastrointestinal Tract XX Conference – Researchers presented on food tolerance and sensitization, gut cytokines and drug metabolism, the link between C. diff and colon cancer, and more.

Programming Tissue Residency in T Cells – Researchers showed that distinct programs of tissue residency are induced in CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ tissue-resident memory T cell subsets, a difference attributable to Runx3 activity.

How Prokaryotes Recognize Pathogens – Scientists showed that NLR-based immune pattern recognition is prevalent in bacteria and archaea.

Image courtesy of Dr. Karen Edelblum

Guest:

Dr. Jonathan Kipnis is the BJC Investigator and Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Distinguished Professor of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University in St. Louis. His lab investigates the complex interactions between the immune and nervous systems. He talks about immune activity and surveillance in the brain, and how T cell subsets affect brain function and behavior. He also discusses the brain’s immune reservoir and his lab’s work on cerebrospinal fluid-regulated immune cell mobilization.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Intranasal Vaccines for HIV and SARS-CoV-2 – Researchers developed vaccines that use the neonatal Fc receptor to mediate transmucosal uptake and elicit immune responses at both local and distal mucosal sites.

How ADAR1 Mutation Leads to Autoimmune Responses – Scientists found that ZBP1-dependent signaling underlies the autoinflammatory pathology caused by the alteration of ADAR1.

Preventing Autoinflammation – Researchers identified ADAR1 as a negative regulator of ZPB1-mediated apoptosis and necroptosis, providing insights into the pathology of Aicardi–Goutières syndrome.

Averting Interferon Induction – ZBP1 promotes type I interferon activation and fatal pathology in mice with impaired ADAR1 function.

The Interleukin-17 Ligand-Receptor Axis – Scientists explored the explore the structural basis for interleukin-17 family signaling.

Image courtesy of Dr. Jonathan Kipnis

Guest:

Dr. Mark Kaplan is the Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Indiana University School of Medicine. He is currently the Editor-In-Chief for the American Association of Immunologists’ journal ImmunoHorizons. Much of Dr. Kaplan’s work has focused on understanding the function of transcription factors in the development of T helper cell subsets. He talks about the role of T helper 9 cells in lung inflammation and γδ T cells in wound healing. He also discusses ImmunoHorizons and how it provides a home for solid immunological research that may otherwise remain unpublished.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

IL-33 Secretion in Airway Inflammation – Researchers showed that in airway epithelial cells, gasdermin D pores mediate IL-33 release.

Immune Tolerance to Food – CD4⁺ T cells respond to food peptides by proliferating weakly in secondary lymphoid organs of the gut–liver axis owing to the action of Tregs.

Why Brain Injuries Lead to Seizures – Thalamic inflammation enhances seizure risk in mice after brain injury.

B Cells in the Lungs – Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infection generates bona fide and bystander lung-resident memory B cells.

Image courtesy of Dr. Mark Kaplan

Guest:

Dr. Laura Mackay is a Professor and Laboratory Head at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity at the University of Melbourne. She talks about her tissue-resident memory T cell research and her ongoing collaboration with Pfizer to identify and validate new targets for cancer therapy.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Breast Cancer Metastasis During Sleep – Researchers showed that most spontaneous circulating tumor cell intravasation events occur during sleep.

Harnessing Anti-Cytomegalovirus Immunity Against Solid Tumors – Cytomegalovirus-derived peptide epitopes promote long-term antitumor immunity in murine cancer models.

A Gut Metabolite Promotes Nerve Repair – Fasting increases production of indole-3 propionate, which enhances axonal regeneration.

Tregs and Hair Growth – After acute hair loss, Tregs communicate with hair follicle stem cells to stimulate stem cell proliferation and hair regrowth.

Image courtesy of Dr. Laura Mackay

Guest:

Dr. Mark Shlomchik is UPMC Endowed Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh. He is also a Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of BlueSphere Bio, a company working to create individualized T cell therapies for the treatment of cancer. Dr. Shlomchik’s lab focuses on systemic autoimmune diseases, long-lived B cell immunity, and immunopathogenesis. He talks about the role of toll-like receptors in lupus, how his autoimmune disease research led to potential cancer therapies, and starting a biotech company with his brother.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Antibody Escape in Omicron Subvariants – Researchers showed that the BA.4 and BA.5 SARS-CoV-2 sub-lineages contain mutations that reduce neutralization from vaccines and previous infection.

Long COVID in the Brain – After mild respiratory COVID, mice displayed elevated CSF cytokines, impaired hippocampal neurogenesis, decreased oligodendrocytes, and myelin loss.

Pregnancy and Intracellular Infection – Pregnancy-induced post-translational antibody modification enables protection against the prototypical intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes.

Sex-Specific Immune Responses to Tumors – Scientists demonstrated that sex-related differences in tumor burden depend on adaptive immunity.

Image courtesy of Dr. Mark Shlomchik

Guest:

Dr. Hanover Matz is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Maryland, who recently completed his PhD under the supervision of Dr. Helen Dooley. He discusses why sharks may have evolved adaptive immune systems, the role of T cells, mucosal immunity, and antibodies, and working with sharks in the lab.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Intestinal Epithelium and Response to Viral Infection – A new study has uncovered a protective role for intraepithelial Ly6A⁺CCR9⁺CD4⁺ T cells against enteric viral infection.

New Mechanism to Activate Cancer-Killing T Cells – Scientists have identified a new mechanism, known as MHC-1 cross-dressing, that is effective in promoting a T cell response.

Long Covid and Breakthrough Infections – Researchers determined that vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 before infection offers partial protection in the post-acute phase of the disease.

Tregs in Traumatic Brain Injury – Targeted delivery of interleukin 2 boosts the number of anti-inflammatory immune cells within the brain to restrict inflammation and damage following injury or stroke.

Image courtesy of Dr. Hanover Matz

Guest:

Dr. Michael Alonso is a Scientific Co-Founder, and Vice President of Immunology & Pharmacology at Bolt Biotherapeutics, a biotechnology company developing immunotherapies that activate myeloid cells. He discusses targeting tumors by covering them in “eat me” signals, considerations for moving drugs into the clinic, and building teams in biotech.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Trade-Offs in Cancer Mutations – Researchers developed a model of hotspot mutations that shows fundamental trade-offs between a tumor’s growth and its visibility to the immune system.

Reversing the T Cell Immune System – To determine how T cell lineage fates are determined in the thymus, scientists generated ‘FlipFlop’ mice with a functionally reversed T cell immune system.

Gut Microbiota and Response to Viral Infection – Suppression of gut microbiota renders mice susceptible to systemic viral infections.

Europe Cancer Immunotherapy Meeting Highlights – Scientists discussed antigenic dominance in lung cancer, next-generation CAR T cell design, and combining CAR T cell therapy with vaccination for solid tumors.

Image courtesy of Dr. Michael Alonso

Guest:

Dr. Alice Long is an Associate Member of the Center for Translational Immunology at Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason. The Long lab is focused on understanding how tolerance is lost in autoimmunity, specifically as it related to type 1 diabetes. Dr. Long discusses the work she presented at the American Association of Immunologists’ annual meeting, IMMUNOLOGY2022, on CD8 T cell exhaustion and Treg modulation.

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AAI 2022 Talks

Block Symposium: Autoimmunity – CD8 T cell exhaustion is reduced in subjects with autoimmune-associated DR4 risk alleles
Saturday, May 7, 2022 | 10:15 AM – 12:15 PM | Oregon Ballroom 203

NextGen Transformative Immunologic Therapies for Human Disease – Treg modulation by IL-2 mutein therapy
Sunday, May 8, 2022 | 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Room A107–109

Image courtesy of Dr. Alice Long

Guest:

Dr. Shruti Naik is an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at New York University Langone Medical Center. She studies immunity in the epithelial tissues that line our body to understand how environmental stimuli collaborate with genetic factors to influence health and drive disease at these interfaces. She discusses the work she’s presenting at the American Association of Immunologists’ annual meeting, IMMUNOLOGY2022, on trained immunity and immune-epithelial crosstalk in tissue repair.

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AAI 2022 Talks

Back to School: A Review of Four Fast-Moving Fields – Trained immunity
Friday, May 6, 2022 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Oregon Ballroom 204

International Cytokine and Interferon Society (ICIS) Symposium:
Rising Stars of Cytokine Biology – Immune-epithelial crosstalk in tissue repair
Sunday, May 8, 2022 | 3:45 PM – 5:45 PM | Room B110–112

Image courtesy of Dr. Shruti Naik

Guest:

Dr. Gwendalyn Randolph is the Emil R. Unanue Distinguished Professor in the Department of Immunology and Pathology at Washington University in St. Louis. Research in her lab integrates the study of monocytes, monocyte-derived cells, and dendritic cells with vascular and lymphatic vessel biology. She discusses the work she’s presenting at the American Association of Immunologists’ annual meeting, IMMUNOLOGY2022, on the diversity, function, and mysteries of peritoneal macrophages. 

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AAI 2022 Talks

Major Symposium B: Macrophage Biology, Diversity, and Inflammation – Diversity, function, and mysteries of peritoneal macrophages
Saturday, May 7, 2022 | 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Portland Ballroom 254–255

Careers in Science Lecture and Roundtables – Becoming a confident scientist and embracing your authentic self 
Sunday, May 8, 2022 | 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM | Portland Ballroom 251

Image courtesy of Dr. Gwendalyn Randolph

Guest:

Dr. Michael Rosenblum is a Professor of Dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco. His lab seeks to to understand how immune responses are regulated in tissues and how this knowledge can be exploited for therapeutic benefit. They are currently investigating how regulatory T cells (Tregs) control immune responses in tissues, as well as their “alternative” functions. He talks about early-life inflammation and type 2 helper T cells in the skin, and how Tregs can be manipulated to target autoimmune diseases and cancer.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Tissue-Resident Memory T Cells in the Brain – After viral brain infection, tissue-resident memory T cells triggered central nervous system inflammation, promoting autoimmune reactions in mice.

Suppressing HIV with Antibodies – Anti-HIV-1 antibodies can maintain viral suppression and may accelerate viral reservoir decay.

Enhancing Hepatitis B Therapeutic Vaccine Responses – Natural killer cell depletion enhanced T cell responses to a chimp adenoviral vectored hepatitis B virus.

CAR T Cell Cytotoxicity in Glioblastoma – Researchers found that interferon gamma signaling is crucial for proper engagement and killing of solid tumors by CAR T cells.

Image courtesy of Dr. Michael Rosenblum

Guest:

Dr. Gary Koretzky is President of the American Association of Immunologists, Vice Provost for Academic Integration at Cornell University, Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, and Director of the Cornell Center for Immunology. He talks about how he began his career in immunology, using science to guide Cornell’s response to COVID-19, and what to expect at AAI’s Immunology 2022 meeting taking place May 6-10^th.

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The Immunology Science Round Up

Circular RNA Vaccines Against SARS-CoV-2 Variants – Circular RNA vaccines enable effective protection against SARS-CoV-2 in mice and monkeys.

CD20⁺ T Cells in Multiple Sclerosis – Scientists found that expansion of CD20⁺ T cells contributes to the inflammatory process in patients with multiple sclerosis and mice with autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Neutrophils in Wound Healing– Neutrophils have an essential role in transferring matrix into wounds through heat shock–integrin signaling.

Spinal Microglia Promote Pain Recovery – Scientists identified a CD11c⁺ spinal microglia population that appears after pain development and is essential for recovery from neuropathic pain.

Image courtesy of Dr. Gary Koretzky