Erica Ollmann Saphire, Ph.D., MBA has officially begun her term as President and CEO of La Jolla Institute for Immunology. As a leader in infectious disease research, Saphire has dedicated her career to bringing scientists together to face the toughest health threats.

Our Focus Is Immunology

We believe that no other biomedical discipline has greater implications for human health than immunology. By unraveling the complexities of the immune system, LJI researchers are directly tackling an extraordinarily diverse array of diseases, such as asthma, cancer, CoVID-19, type 1 diabetes, Parkinson’s, and many others.

At La Jolla Institute for Immunology, every day, our discoveries move the world closer to Life Without Disease.

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Our Research Centers

La Jolla Institute is home to three research centers that focus the efforts of collaborative groups of researchers on defined areas of inquiry, to accelerate progress toward the development of new treatments and vaccines to prevent and cure autoimmune conditions, cancer and infectious disease.

Center for Autoimmunity and Inflammation

Research into different autoimmune diseases can inform the development of new treatments that teach the immune system to tolerate the body’s own cells.

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Center for Cancer Immunotherapy

The Center is at the forefront of exploring new and sometimes unexpected avenues for novel immune-based cancer treatments.

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Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, LJI infectious disease experts quickly mobilized a task force to respond to the current crisis.

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Our Impact

LJI Assistant Professor Dr. Tal Einav harnesses computational biology and physics to study how the body fights disease. His research sheds light on how different groups – women and men, children and seniors – combat viral infections, cancers, and much more. Dr. Einav will share how leveraging models and algorithms can help us design better vaccines and accelerate the field of personalized medicine.

Live from the Lab

During the February 2, 2023 Live from the Lab webinar, world-renowned immunologist and La Jolla Institute for Immunology Chief Scientific Officer and Professor Mitchell “Mitch” Kronenberg, Ph.D. discussed the immune cells on the front lines of infection and their role in disease, highlighting inflammatory bowel disease. Technical expertise was shared during the laboratory component of the presentation by Microscopy Core Director Zbigniew Mikulski, Ph.D.

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COVID-19 Research at La Jolla Institute

Capitalizing on their unique skills in immunology and infectious disease, La Jolla Institute scientists have launched a multi-lab Coronavirus Taskforce to respond to the ongoing crisis and prepare for future emerging diseases.

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Sex-based Differences in the Immune System

On this year’s Women’s Health Research Day, LJI and Women’s Health Access Matters (WHAM) co-hosted an expert panel interactive discussion exploring sex-based differences in the immune system and autoimmune disease.

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Visionaries

The Visionaries, an award-winning public television series hosted by Sam Waterston has recently launched its 24th season which includes a half-hour documentary film entitled, Life Without Disease. The film showcases the critical work of La Jolla Institute for Immunology scientists working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Dr. Melanie McCauley

Dr. Melanie McCauley is on a mission to create a world where people live life without disease.

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Immune Matters Magazine

Learning from men. Learning from women.

Men and women have different immune systems. With a better understanding of sex-specific immune differences, scientists can more effectively fight infections, cancers, heart disease, and even pregnancy complications.

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