Diseases (A-Z)

Asthma affects more than 25 million people across the nation—7 million of them children—and the incidence is rising.

The underlying cause of many heart attacks is atherosclerosis, defined as build-up of deposits, or plaques, of cholesterol, calcium, and other substances in arteries.

Atopic dermatitis occurs when a person’s immune system causes inflammation of the skin, which also makes the skin more vulnerable to environmental irritants and allergens.

Scientists at La Jolla Institute are investigating what causes immune cells to turn on the body—and how we can intervene.

Radiation, some chemotherapies and cytotoxic anti-cancer drugs kill tumor cells directly. Immunotherapies, by contrast, rally a patient’s often dormant immune cells to do the job.

CMV is the number one infectious cause of congenital birth defects worldwide. Researchers at La Jolla Institute are working to define the molecular underpinnings of CMV infection.

The La Jolla Institute for Immunology is home to a multi-lab Coronavirus Task Force that capitalizes on our competitive advantages of unique skill in infectious disease research, state-of-the-art technology, and highly collaborative organization.

Dengue fever is the world’s most common mosquito-borne disease, giving rise to 390 million cases of viral disease yearly in tropical regions of Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Ebola, which is endemic to west and central Africa, gives rise to hemorrhagic fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle pain.

Fibrosis occurs when immune cells mistakenly attack these connective tissues, causing the tissues to thicken and scar.

Allergens like egg, shellfish, or peanut proteins stimulate white blood cells to dump excessive quantities of immune molecules into the blood, triggering inflammation.

La Jolla Institute scientists are working to help develop an HIV/AIDS vaccine that can stimulate the immune system to neutralize many strains of the virus.

Researchers at La Jolla Institute are working to prevent the symptoms of IBD before inflammation escalates.

More than 3 billion people are at risk of Japanese encephalitis, a viral disease that sickens an estimated 68,000 people each year, killing up to 20,400.

Lassa virus is endemic to West Africa and kills nearly 5,000 people a year. Research led by La Jolla Institute scientists lays the groundwork for anti-Lassa vaccine development.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women in the United States. Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology are studying ways to halt lung cancer growth.

LJI scientists are committed to better understanding how the human immune system targets mpox—and how vaccines can protect at-risk people. 

Nipah virus is endemic to regions of Southeast Asia, India, and Bangladesh, and kills 40–70  percent of those infected.

Researchers at La Jolla Institute are investigating how the immune system may contribute to Parkinson's disease.

Researchers need to know how S. pneumoniae transforms from a peaceful member of our body’s ecosystem to an invasive and lethal pathogen.

Millions of people suffer from seasonal allergies. For them, the onset of spring signals several months of misery.

Strep throat is one of a several conditions, among them pneumonia, scarlet fever, impetigo, and flesh-eating necrotizing fasciitis, caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes.

Tuberculosis kills more people each year than any other infectious disease. Scientists at La Jolla Institute are working to help doctors treat those at most risk—sooner.

Type 1 diabetes accounts for up to 2 million U.S. cases and occurs when the immune system mistakenly destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

Despite great advances in vaccine development, only 26 licensed vaccines currently exist worldwide. As a result, one out of every three deaths in the world today is the result of infectious disease.

Vasculitis is the umbrella term for nearly 20 rare diseases all associated with inflammation of the blood vessels.

This extremely contagious disease is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, and it can be fatal in newborns.

The yellow fever vaccine is one of vaccine biology’s great success stories. Scientists are hoping to learn how to design effective vaccines against other pathogens by studying the immune response induced by the yellow fever vaccine.

The current Zika outbreak has been declared an international health emergency by the World Health Organization citing concerns that as many as four million people could be infected by the end of 2016.