Immunity and Pathogenesis Program

Disease and the immune response

Pathogenesis—literally how disease (pathos) begins (genesis) or develops—is a broad and important area of research.

Many diseases can arise from pathogens, but the immune system protects us through various lines of defense. If the immune system fails to function properly and becomes too weak or too strong, it can lead to disease states that include immunodeficiencies that lead to enhanced susceptibly to infections disease, autoimmune conditions, such as lupus and arthritis, and even cancer.

Director's statement

Our focus is on understanding the regulation and interplay of host immune responses and microbial pathogenesis. We study viral-host interactions, innate and humoral immunity, inflammation and T cell checkpoint regulation. A better understanding of these aspects of the immune system will provide novel therapeutic opportunities to address many unmet medical needs, including the treatment of endemic and pandemic infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, cancer and inflammatory diseases.

– Sumit Chanda, Ph.D., Program Director

Appointments

Publications

Cutting Edge: The RNA-Binding Protein Ewing Sarcoma Is a Novel Modulator of Lymphotoxin β Receptor Signaling.

Virgen-Slane R, Correa RG, Ramezani-Rad P, Steen-Fuentes S, Detanico T, DiCandido MJ, Li J, Ware CF

J Immunol 2020 Mar 1 ;204(5):1085-1090

Leukotriene B4 receptor BLT1 signaling is critical for neutrophil apoptosis and resolution of experimental Lyme arthritis.

Hilliard KA, Blaho VA, Jackson CD, Brown CR

FASEB J 2020 Feb ;34(2):2840-2852

Identifying determinants of bacterial fitness in a model of human gut microbial succession.

Feng L, Raman AS, Hibberd MC, Cheng J, Griffin NW, Peng Y, Leyn SA, Rodionov DA, Osterman AL, Gordon JI

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020 Feb 4 ;117(5):2622-2633

MDA5 Governs the Innate Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 in Lung Epithelial Cells.

Yin X, Riva L, Pu Y, Martin-Sancho L, Kanamune J, Yamamoto Y, Sakai K, Gotoh S, Miorin L, De Jesus PD, Yang CC, Herbert KM, Yoh S, Hultquist JF, García-Sastre A, Chanda SK

Cell Rep 2021 Jan 12 ;34(2):108628

Pharmacological Activation of Non-canonical NF-κB Signaling Activates Latent HIV-1 Reservoirs In Vivo.

Pache L, Marsden MD, Teriete P, Portillo AJ, Heimann D, Kim JT, Soliman MSA, Dimapasoc M, Carmona C, Celeridad M, Spivak AM, Planelles V, Cosford NDP, Zack JA, Chanda SK

Cell Rep Med 2020 Jun 23 ;1(3):100037

B Vitamins and Their Role in Immune Regulation and Cancer.

Peterson CT, Rodionov DA, Osterman AL, Peterson SN

Nutrients 2020 Nov 4 ;12(11)

SARS-CoV-2 Orf6 hijacks Nup98 to block STAT nuclear import and antagonize interferon signaling.

Miorin L, Kehrer T, Sanchez-Aparicio MT, Zhang K, Cohen P, Patel RS, Cupic A, Makio T, Mei M, Moreno E, Danziger O, White KM, Rathnasinghe R, Uccellini M, Gao S, Aydillo T, Mena I, Yin X, Martin-Sancho L, Krogan NJ, Chanda SK, Schotsaert M, Wozniak RW, Ren Y, Rosenberg BR, Fontoura BMA, García-Sastre A

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020 Nov 10 ;117(45):28344-28354

SARS-CoV-2 Infection Depends on Cellular Heparan Sulfate and ACE2.

Clausen TM, Sandoval DR, Spliid CB, Pihl J, Perrett HR, Painter CD, Narayanan A, Majowicz SA, Kwong EM, McVicar RN, Thacker BE, Glass CA, Yang Z, Torres JL, Golden GJ, Bartels PL, Porell RN, Garretson AF, Laubach L, Feldman J, Yin X, Pu Y, Hauser BM, Caradonna TM, Kellman BP, Martino C, Gordts PLSM, Chanda SK, Schmidt AG, Godula K, Leibel SL, Jose J, Corbett KD, Ward AB, Carlin AF, Esko JD

Cell 2020 Nov 12 ;183(4):1043-1057.e15

Designed Ankyrin Repeat Protein (DARPin) to target chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-redirected T cells towards CD4⁺ T cells to reduce the latent HIV⁺ cell reservoir.

Patasic L, Seifried J, Bezler V, Kaljanac M, Schneider IC, Schmitz H, Tondera C, Hartmann J, Hombach A, Buchholz CJ, Abken H, König R, Cichutek K

Med Microbiol Immunol 2020 Dec ;209(6):681-691

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