The Immunology Podcast

Guest: Professor Matteo Iannacone is Director of the Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, Professor of Pathology, and Head of the Dynamics of Immune Responses laboratory at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University. His work centers on understanding the generation of dysfunctional adaptive immune cells in chronic hepatitis B virus infection and developing new strategies to reprogram them into functional cells endowed with potent antiviral activity. Featured Products and Resources: Stay up-to-date with the latest in human immunology news Isolate highly purified immune cells from virtually any sample source with EasySep The Immunology Science Round Up The Cells That Keep Immunity in Check – Brenda reviews Dr. Shimon Sakaguchi’s seminal study demonstrating that a population of T cells expressing the IL-2 receptor α chain acts to maintain self-tolerance by suppressing other T cells. The Gene That Controls Immune Balance – Brenda reviews Dr. Mary Brunkow and Dr. Fred Ramsdell’s work identifying FOXP3 as the gene disrupted in a fatal lymphoproliferation syndrome in the “scurfy” mouse, pointing to FOXP3 as a master regulator of regulatory T cells. Zap70 and the Treg Cell Repertoire – Age-dependent Zap70 expression regulates negative selection and thymic Treg cell development. T Cell Exhaustion Driven by Protein Stress – Researchers show that proteotoxic stress, induced by protein aggregation, is not merely a consequence, but a driver of the exhausted T cell state. Image courtesy of Professor Matteo Iannacone. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Robin Orozco is an Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas, where her lab studies how specific allelic variants affect immune responses. She talks about what we can learn from mouse models and the role of PTPN22 in antiviral immunity. (36:48) Featured Products and Resources: Stay up-to-date with the latest in immune regulation news. EasySep 8-Minute Human Cell Isolation Kits The Immunology Round Up Skin Infections and Food Allergy – Scientists unraveled mechanisms by which S. aureus skin colonization can aggravate food allergy in atopic dermatitis. (3:10) Cytotoxic T Cell Dynamics – Nuclear polarization represents a key step during cytotoxic T cell-mediated killing. (11:55) CRISPR-Boosted CAR T Therapies – Researchers discovered, validated, and biologically characterized CRISPR-boosted CAR T cells that outperform standard CAR T cells. (18:36) CAR T Cells in Myeloma – New findings reveal differing effects of gene perturbation on CAR T cells and highlight a promising target to generate highly effective CAR T cells for multiple myeloma. (26:40) Image courtesy of Dr. Robin Orozco Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Dr. Harikesh Wong, an Assistant Professor at the Ragon Institute and MIT, dives into the fascinating world of intercellular communication and Treg function in the immune system. He shares insights on how antigen specificity in Tregs can prevent autoimmunity during infections. Dr. Wong also discusses his advanced fluorescence microscopy techniques for visualizing Treg interactions with conventional T cells. Plus, he explores the challenges of translating mouse model insights to human systems, and he even ties in his passion for martial arts as a means to find focus.

Dr. Eric Vivier, a renowned immunology professor at Aix-Marseille Université, discusses the critical need for investing in scientific research. He argues that funding basic science leads to transformative breakthroughs like monoclonal antibodies. The conversation explores differences in research funding between Europe and the US, highlighting the European Research Council's role in fostering scientific freedom. Vivier also emphasizes the importance of science communication and the need to inspire future generations of scientists.

In August 2025, we attended the 19th International Congress of Immunology, hosted by the International Union of Immunological Societies, in Vienna, Austria. We chat with delegates about their research and impressions of the meeting. They discuss the most memorable research presented and their experiences in Austria. Featured Products and Resources: Prepare for your next conference. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Dr. Zwi Berneman, Emeritus Professor of Hematology at the University of Antwerp, discusses the groundbreaking world of mRNA-based dendritic cell cancer vaccines. He explores their historical evolution and the scientific advancements that enhance immune responses against cancer. Funding challenges and regulatory hurdles also take center stage as he emphasizes the need for collaboration and compliance to bring these therapies to patients. With a forward-looking perspective, Berneman envisions the future potential of naked mRNA in vaccination strategies by 2030.

In 2025, we attended the 19th International Congress of Immunology, hosted by the International Union of Immunological Societies, in Vienna, Austria, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the conference. Here is the final of five special episodes from the meeting, in which Brenda and Jason discuss sessions on AI applications and CAR T therapy progress. Featured Products and Resources: ImmunoCult Mouse T Cell Activator Kit Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In 2025, we attended the 19th International Congress of Immunology, hosted by the International Union of Immunological Societies, in Vienna, Austria, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the conference. Here is the fourth of five special episodes from the meeting, in which Jason and Brenda discuss sessions on cancer immunotherapy and neuroimmunology. Featured Products and Resources: Say goodbye to manual labor and hello to efficiency with RoboSep—your ultimate solution for automated cell isolation. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In 2025, we attended the 19th International Congress of Immunology, hosted by the International Union of Immunological Societies, in Vienna, Austria, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the conference. Here is the third of five special episodes from the meeting. Brenda and Jason discuss sessions on CD4+ T cells in Hepatitis B infections and how amoebas make their way to the brain. They also cover research on the effects of antibiotics on immunotherapy, and what we can learn about allergies by comparing pet shop and lab mice. Featured Products and Resources: Improve your T cell therapy development with ImmunoCult-XF Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In 2025, we attended the 19th International Congress of Immunology, hosted by the International Union of Immunological Societies, in Vienna, Austria, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the conference. Here is the second of five special episodes from the meeting. Brenda and Jason cover research on Lynch syndrome, dendritic cells, and the epigenome of regulatory T cells. Featured Products and Resources: Simply and efficiently isolate untouched, viable human NK cells from PBMCs or leukapheresis samples with EasySep. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe