#49 Manish Butte, MD PhD: All about immunology, especially T cells

Dr Manish Butte, MD PhD, is a pediatrician & Division Chief of Immunology, Allergy & Rheumatology, and is also a surprisingly down-to-Earth kind of guy. In this show, he causally lays it all out there from the perspective of a scientist and compassionate clinician who works at the edges of what we know regarding genetics and rare diseases to give us a view of the whole playing field of immunology, including allergy, autoimmunity and infection (especially the post-infectious drive towards autoimmunity). We discuss Lyme, EBV (Epstein Barr Virus) and the ways in which the B cells & T cells function to mount, address & recede from their battle stations (did you know regulatory T cells even a part of the initial cytotoxic T cell response to infection?). Dr Butte then dives into the mechanobiology components of T cell activation (did you know stiff vs soft, aka swollen/edematous tissues vs non-traumatized tissue, trigger different T cell responses?) with some fascinating conjecture about the interaction between hypermobile tissues & T cell activity. We seem to end the conversation with a deep discussion about IVIG (IV immunoglobulin G) and rituximab which address aberrant antibodies but then truly finish with some discussion about the importance of immunogenetics and COVID antibody & T-cell evaluations. All in all, a fabulous show for which we are grateful for Dr Butte's generous participation.