The Immunology Podcast

Guest: Dr. Karen Edelblum is an Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She discusses γδ T cells and immune-epithelial cross-talk in inflammatory bowel disease. She also talks about intravital microscopy and decorating immunology-themed cakes! Featured Products and Resources: Stay up-to-date with the latest in intestinal cell news. Use EasySep to isolate highly purified immune cells in as little as 8 minutes. The Immunology Science Round Up Highlights from the Gastrointestinal Tract XX Conference – Researchers presented on food tolerance and sensitization, gut cytokines and drug metabolism, the link between C. diff and colon cancer, and more. Programming Tissue Residency in T Cells – Researchers showed that distinct programs of tissue residency are induced in CD8+ and CD4+ tissue-resident memory T cell subsets, a difference attributable to Runx3 activity. How Prokaryotes Recognize Pathogens – Scientists showed that NLR-based immune pattern recognition is prevalent in bacteria and archaea. Image courtesy of Dr. Karen Edelblum Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Jonathan Kipnis is the BJC Investigator and Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Distinguished Professor of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University in St. Louis. His lab investigates the complex interactions between the immune and nervous systems. He talks about immune activity and surveillance in the brain, and how T cell subsets affect brain function and behavior. He also discusses the brain’s immune reservoir and his lab’s work on cerebrospinal fluid-regulated immune cell mobilization. Featured Products and Resources: Explore free immunology wallcharts. Explore scientific resources for your immunology research at the STEMCELL Technologies immunology learning center. The Immunology Science Round Up Intranasal Vaccines for HIV and SARS-CoV-2 – Researchers developed vaccines that use the neonatal Fc receptor to mediate transmucosal uptake and elicit immune responses at both local and distal mucosal sites. How ADAR1 Mutation Leads to Autoimmune Responses – Scientists found that ZBP1-dependent signaling underlies the autoinflammatory pathology caused by the alteration of ADAR1. Preventing Autoinflammation – Researchers identified ADAR1 as a negative regulator of ZPB1-mediated apoptosis and necroptosis, providing insights into the pathology of Aicardi–Goutières syndrome. Averting Interferon Induction – ZBP1 promotes type I interferon activation and fatal pathology in mice with impaired ADAR1 function. The Interleukin-17 Ligand-Receptor Axis – Scientists explored the explore the structural basis for interleukin-17 family signaling. Image courtesy of Dr. Jonathan Kipnis Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Dr. Mark Kaplan, Chair of Microbiology and Immunology at Indiana University and Editor-In-Chief of ImmunoHorizons, shares his insights on the complexities of academic publishing. He dives into the vital roles of T helper 9 cells in lung inflammation and the significance of gamma delta T cells in wound healing. Kaplan also discusses the challenges of submitting research during the pandemic and the importance of platforms like ImmunoHorizons for advancing immunological research that might otherwise go unnoticed.

In this discussion, Dr. Laura Mackay, a Professor at the Peter Doherty Institute, dives into her groundbreaking research on tissue-resident memory T cells. She highlights their role in cancer therapy and collaborates with Pfizer to explore new treatment targets. The conversation uncovers intriguing links between sleep and cancer metastasis, alongside how gut metabolites aid nerve repair. Additionally, Mackay sheds light on T cell exhaustion and the significance of effective communication in academic and industry collaborations.

Dr. Mark Shlomchik, a distinguished immunology professor and biotech innovator, dives into the fascinating interplay between long-lived B cell immunity and autoimmune diseases like lupus. He discusses how toll-like receptors play a role in these conditions and shares his insights on researching cancer therapies inspired by autoimmune studies. The conversation also explores the neurological impacts of COVID-19, maternal immunity, and intriguing sex differences in immune responses, shedding light on the complexities of our immune systems.

Dr. Hanover Matz, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Maryland specializing in comparative immunology, dives into the fascinating immune systems of sharks. He explains how sharks have evolved unique adaptive immune responses and the role of T cells and antibodies. Matz also discusses the innovative work at aquaculture centers, where they immunize nurse sharks, revealing the potential medical applications of shark-derived antibodies. The conversation highlights the surprising complexities of shark immunity compared to mammals, offering intriguing insights into future research.

Guest: Dr. Michael Alonso is a Scientific Co-Founder, and Vice President of Immunology & Pharmacology at Bolt Biotherapeutics, a biotechnology company developing immunotherapies that activate myeloid cells. He discusses targeting tumors by covering them in “eat me” signals, considerations for moving drugs into the clinic, and building teams in biotech. Featured Products and Resources: Read interviews with immunologists who tell their stories, discuss their research, and voice their opinions on current topics in immunology. Explore scientific resources for your immunology research. The Immunology Science Round Up Trade-Offs in Cancer Mutations – Researchers developed a model of hotspot mutations that shows fundamental trade-offs between a tumor’s growth and its visibility to the immune system. Reversing the T Cell Immune System – To determine how T cell lineage fates are determined in the thymus, scientists generated ‘FlipFlop’ mice with a functionally reversed T cell immune system. Gut Microbiota and Response to Viral Infection – Suppression of gut microbiota renders mice susceptible to systemic viral infections. Europe Cancer Immunotherapy Meeting Highlights – Scientists discussed antigenic dominance in lung cancer, next-generation CAR T cell design, and combining CAR T cell therapy with vaccination for solid tumors. Image courtesy of Dr. Michael Alonso Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Alice Long is an Associate Member of the Center for Translational Immunology at Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason. The Long lab is focused on understanding how tolerance is lost in autoimmunity, specifically as it related to type 1 diabetes. Dr. Long discusses the work she presented at the American Association of Immunologists’ annual meeting, IMMUNOLOGY2022, on CD8 T cell exhaustion and Treg modulation. Featured Products and Resources: Use EasySep to isolate highly purified immune cells in as little as 8 minutes. AAI 2022 Talks Block Symposium: Autoimmunity – CD8 T cell exhaustion is reduced in subjects with autoimmune-associated DR4 risk alleles Saturday, May 7, 2022 | 10:15 AM – 12:15 PM | Oregon Ballroom 203 NextGen Transformative Immunologic Therapies for Human Disease – Treg modulation by IL-2 mutein therapy Sunday, May 8, 2022 | 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Room A107–109 Image courtesy of Dr. Alice Long Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Shruti Naik is an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at New York University Langone Medical Center. She studies immunity in the epithelial tissues that line our body to understand how environmental stimuli collaborate with genetic factors to influence health and drive disease at these interfaces. She discusses the work she’s presenting at the American Association of Immunologists’ annual meeting, IMMUNOLOGY2022, on trained immunity and immune-epithelial crosstalk in tissue repair.   Featured Products and Resources: Easy 250 EasySep Magnet for Large-Scale Immunomagnetic Separation  AAI 2022 Talks Back to School: A Review of Four Fast-Moving Fields – Trained immunity Friday, May 6, 2022 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Oregon Ballroom 204 International Cytokine and Interferon Society (ICIS) Symposium: Rising Stars of Cytokine Biology – Immune-epithelial crosstalk in tissue repair Sunday, May 8, 2022 | 3:45 PM – 5:45 PM | Room B110–112 Image courtesy of Dr. Shruti Naik Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Dr. Gwendalyn Randolph, an expert in Immunology and Pathology, shares insights on peritoneal macrophages at the AAI 2022 conference. Topics include macrophage diversity, lipid storage, career advice for scientists, and challenges faced by women balancing career and parenthood.