A stunning first look at the viruses inside us
LJI scientists uncover a new avenue for stopping cancers, autoimmune diseases, and more.
Disease Cancer
LJI scientists explore the importance of sex-based differences in the immune system
Sex chromosomes make a big difference for disease risk—but hormonal and environmental cues play their parts
Revelations
How sex-based differences shape the immune system—and what these discoveries mean for the future of medicine
T cells can sense testosterone—What does that mean for prostate cancer therapies?
LJI Assistant Professor Miguel Reina-Campos, Ph.D., uses new tools to capture immune cells, hormones, and prostate cancer cells in action.
Mapping immune cell battles
LJI scientists partner with international consortium to develop new "spatial transcriptomics" resource
How a critical enzyme keeps potentially dangerous genes in check
Meet OGT, your guardian enzyme on the dark side of the genome
LJI scientists receive Curebound funding to advance cancer research
Curebound grants may lead to new approaches to fight breast cancer, lung tumors and more
T cells rise up to fight infections in the gut
Scientists show how a special group of T cells travels through the small intestine to combat pathogens
Cancer researcher Miguel Reina-Campos awarded $1.3 million from W. M. Keck Foundation
LJI lab looks to "boost" cancer-fighting T cells
LJI researchers shed light on devastating blood diseases
Scientists show how a mutated gene harms red and white blood cells
New Prebys Foundation grant supports LJI mission to train the next generation of researchers
With this new $300,000 grant, LJI Assistant Professor Miguel Reina-Campos, Ph.D., sets out to make scientific training more accessible
Vijayanand Lab
Pandurangan Vijayanand, M.D., Ph.D., and his lab members employ genomics tools to understand, diagnose and treat pulmonary disease such as asthma, lung cancer and infectious diseases, including the novel coronavirus.
Sharma Lab
Sonia Sharma, Ph.D., and her lab members lead unbiased, genome-scale approaches to unravel innate immunity, the body’s early immune response to microbial pathogens and neoplastic cells.
Schoenberger Lab
Stephen Schoenberger, Ph.D., is focused on achieving a mechanistic understanding of the generation and regulation of T cell responses in the context of in vivo infection and tumor development.
Rao Lab
Anjana Rao, Ph.D., focuses on understanding how signaling pathways control gene expression, using T cells and other cells of the immune system as models.
Hogan Lab
Patrick Hogan, Ph.D., studies cells at the nano level – seeking to understand how protein-protein interactions on the submicroscopic scale can have gargantuan impacts on human health and disease.
Croft Lab
Michael Croft, Ph.D., and his team focus on a number of molecules that are members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family.
Cheroutre Lab
Hilde Cheroutre, Ph.D., and her team study the development, function, and regulation of T lymphocytes, a type of white blood cells.
Postdoctoral Fellow Rachel Helms, Ph.D., awarded 2024 CRI Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship
LJI scientist aims to answer fundamental questions about the development and maintenance of immune cells to prevent cancer
Reina Lab
Dr. Reina-Campos’ lab seeks to understand the underlying principles governing tissue immune networks that enable robust and long-term protection against infection and tumors.
Ay Lab
Ferhat Ay, Ph.D., works to understand gene regulation in complex organisms and diseases.
LJI scientists develop new method to match genes to their molecular ‘switches’
New research may help scientists hunt down solid tumors and better diagnose disease
Hilde Cheroutre named AAI Distinguished Fellow
Leading immunologist honored for research into the roots of autoimmunity, cancer development, and more
LJI scientists win ‘Prebys Research Heroes’ funding
Prebys Foundation celebrates ground-breaking female researchers
Researchers reveal how protein modifications power T cells
LJI scientists share a new, rapid method for studying phosphorylation and other post-translational modifications
LJI home to new “Center of Excellence”
LJI's Flow Cytometry Core brings cutting-edge technology to immune system researchers
A step toward personalized immunotherapy for all
Scientists find evidence that all cancer patients mount an immune response to their tumors, suggesting that many more patients could benefit from personalized immunotherapy
Researchers discover potentially cancer-fighting T cells within some pediatric brain tumor patients
New research suggests a small group of pediatric brain tumor patients may benefit from immunotherapy
No IKAROS, no antibodies
Researchers map the genome to figure out how a protein called IKAROS controls healthy B cell development
A closer look at rebel T cells
LJI researchers investigate a group of T cells known for their unusual response to pathogens
New LJI research has major implications for controlling T cell activity
How a supposed "nuclear" receptor makes TCR signaling possible
LJI scientists solve the mystery of why OGT enzyme is critical for cell survival
New findings open door to better understanding cancers and many other diseases
On the trail of missing genes and cancer clues
LJI scientists connect TET loss of function to missing genes in embryonic stem cells
Investigating cancer drug toxicity leads to a critical discovery
Researchers uncover a new strategy to avoid cancer immunotherapy side effects
Graduate student Leila Chihab wins prestigious NSF grant
Chihab explores how T cells find and kill tumors
Strange DNA structures may drive cancer development
LJI researchers shed light on the role of TET enzymes in genomic stability and cancers
Six LJI scientists named “Highly Cited Researchers”
The international recognition reflects how LJI research is valued by scientific peers
Preparing T cells for the long haul
New LJI research could keep cancer-fighting T cells from burning out before the job is done
Hard-working enzyme keeps immune cells in line
LJI scientists develop new tool for understanding enzymatic activity linked to blood cancers and heart disease
Many cancer patients may need a sequential one-two punch of immunotherapies
Treating patients with anti-CTLA4 therapies prior to anti-PD1 treatment may be a promising strategy
Sonia Sharma zeros in on metabolites
The mission is simple: Figure out which key molecules go missing in cancer patients.
Timothy Baffi receives ACS award to study acute myeloid leukemia
New support from the American Cancer Society fuels research into the primary mutations behind many cancer types
LJI launches new global cancer immunology resource
National Cancer Institute support brings cancer researchers together to share key findings
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.
Amnon Altman: Leading immunologist and educator retires
Dr. Altman’s research into T cell activation opened the door to new therapies for inflammation, autoimmune diseases, cancers, and more.
Cancer Immunology
In 2013, Dr. Vijayanand teamed up with Professor Christian Ottensmeier at the Cancer Center, University of Southampton, UK, to set up a large patient-centered cancer immunology program. Our work utilizing genomics tools to study T lymphocytes present in cancer…
Melanoma meets its match
How Ian Mathews used Tullie and Rickey Families SPARK Awards funding to make cancer therapy advances and launch a career in medicine
A clue to how some fast-growing tumors hide in plain sight
New LJI research could guide the development of more effective cancer immunotherapies
The Conrad Prebys Foundation grants more than $450,000 for studies into childhood cancer, cardiovascular disease
New funding will support high-risk, high-reward projects led by two early-career scientists
A cancer without a cause
Testing for breast and ovarian cancers has come a long way—but at-risk patients still fall through the cracks. LJI scientist Anup Kumar Singh has won funding to learn more about cancer-causing mutations.
Proteomics expert Sam Myers to join LJI faculty
Myers Lab to expand autoimmune disease research, cancer and more
Klaus Ley receives $2.3 Million to study fundamentals of immune cell activation
New research could shed light on how immune cells can better fight cancers or step back in autoimmune disease
LJI team gets first-ever look at a rare but vital stem cell in humans
New understanding of immune cell origins may offer cancer and COVID-19 drug targets
Cancer Immunology
In 2013, Dr. Vijayanand teamed up with Professor Christian Ottensmeier at the Cancer Center, University of Southampton, UK, to set up a large patient-centered cancer immunology program utilizing genomics tools to study T lymphocytes present in cancer tissue which…
Cancer
Immunotherapies for head and neck cancer: To develop new cancer therapies by studying how the immune system, by way of neo-antigens, can recognize and eliminate tumor cells by targeting molecules only found on the surface of the tumor cells. The…
New Molecular Players in the cGAS-STING Pathway of Anti-Viral and Anti-Tumor Defense
Cell-free, immuno-stimulatory DNA is recognized in the cytoplasm of cells as a universal danger signal by the innate immune system. We are using genome-scale RNAi and CRISPR/Cas9 approaches in primary human cells to identify important new players in the cGAS-STING…
Targeting Tumor Endothelium for Cancer Surveillance and Immunotherapy
Preliminary data from our lab shows that vascular endothelial cells (vECs) mount remarkably potent innate responses to cell-free DNA, which is well in accordance with their role as sentinels of the blood. However, little is known about how the contribution…
Immunoprofiling of Human Immune Cells in Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer
A Novel CTLA4-Mediated Treg Cell-Intrinsic Signaling Pathway
Recent work by others has provided evidence that, in contrast to conventional T cells, PKCq negatively regulates the suppressive activity of Treg cells. Therefore, we initiated efforts to identify other member(s) of the PKC enzyme family, which might positively regulate…
CD4+ Cytotoxic Lymphocytes
MHC class-II restricted CD4+ T cytotoxic cells (CD4 CTL) are among the best examples of extreme measures the immune system can take to prepare the host to deal with challenges including infections, cancers and autoimmunity. CD4+ T cells that initially…
LJI donors turn health crisis into mission to champion Institute’s new cancer vaccine
Sometimes it takes a personal health crisis to galvanize people to pursue a life-changing path they could have never envisioned.
TET proteins: double agents in DNA methylation prevent catastrophic cancer
LJI researchers reveal how the finely tuned balance between DNA methylation and demethylation prevents genomic instability and cancer
To kill tumors, activate this elite group of T cells
LJI’s new understanding of killer T cells inspires clinical studies of potential immunotherapies
To respond or tolerate? LJI researchers selectively block immune activation program orchestrated by the nuclear factor NFAT
Chemical screen proves feasibility of modulating factor at the hub of immune system's decision to attack or retreat
Scientists devise strategies to counteract T cell exhaustion in CAR T cancer therapies
La Jolla Institute scientists show that deleting troublesome proteins in a mouse model can shrink tumors and prolong survival