Infectious Disease Immunology
In the era of antimicrobial resistance, infectious diseases pose an ever more significant challenge to both human and animal health, with dire consequences. Microbial pathogens and the host immune system have co-evolved for millions of years. The immune system has developed a complex repertoire of mechanisms to control microbial infection. Similarly, pathogens counter by developing a variety of mechanisms to inactivate or evade immune recognition. Therefore, an in-depth knowledge of how the immune system orchestrates responses to commensal and pathogenic microbes is crucial for understanding disease pathogenesis and progression, facilitating the development of novel therapeutics, and ultimately, informing the development of protective vaccines. Faculty and students in the Infectious Disease Immunology strive to define and characterize these antagonisms that will undoubtedly lead to improved treatment of infectious diseases in both humans and animals.
Cancer Immunology
Cancer immunology is an interdisciplinary field of research examining how the immune system regulates the progression and development of cancer, including transformation, tumor microenvironment, tumor antigen discovery, cancer immunoediting, cancer immunosurveillance, interplays between immune system and microbiota that drive homeostasis versus tumorigenesis, natural control of tumors, mechanisms underlying genetic or biochemical defects that lead to cell transformation and tumorigenesis, and perhaps most notably, targeting of the immune system for cancer immunotherapy. Research programs in the Cancer Immunology space span the areas of basic research on the tumor microenvironment to designing and implementing clinical trials at the Cancer Center at Illinois through partnerships with the College of Veterinary Medicine and other human healthcare collaborators.
Neuroimmunology
Despite the brain’s status as an immune privileged organ, extensive signaling takes place between the nervous system and the immune system during both health and disease. Neuroimmunology is the study of the interactions between nervous system and the immune system during development, homeostasis, and response to injuries. Immune cells and neuroimmune molecules such as cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors modulate brain function through multiple signaling pathways throughout the lifespan. By studying these communication pathways, we can increase our understanding of the pathology of neurological diseases, including those without clear etiology. Neuroinflammation and neuroimmune imbalance have been shown to underlie a variety of neurological disorders such as stroke, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Schizophrenia, neuropathic pain, and dementia. Faculty and students in Neuroimmunology strive to elucidate the interactions between the immune and nervous systems in autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, and psychiatric stress.
Evolutionary Immunology
Evolutionary Immunology is the study of the evolution of the ability of immune system over the ages to recognize foreign antigenic materials. Main areas of Evolutionary Immunology include: (1) study of phylogenetic relationships between nonspecific (hereditary) and specific (acquired, or adaptive) immunity; (2) study of the phenomena of graft rejection in a phylogenetic series; (3) study of occurrence and historical development of T- and B-systems of immunity; (4) study of phylogenesis of different cell types of the immunity system; and (5) study of historical development of the ability to specifically recognize foreign antigenic materials. Faculty and students in the Evolutionary Immunology examine how both the human experience and our evolutionary past affect immune system function, health and disease, and functional divergence and diversification of primate immune systems.
Basic Immunology
There is also a strong interest in the basic molecular and cellular regulatory mechanisms that underlie all immune system functions. These studies focus on cell and organ homeostasis, cellular activation and inactivation signaling cascades, regulation of gene expression, use of gene therapy to modulate immune responses, and the interactions of the immune system with other organs and systems, as well as other timely research issues.
Mucosal Immunology
Mucosal surfaces are continuously bombarded by and constitute major portals of entry for pathogens, allergens, and pollutants. The breach in physical barriers, imbalance in microbiota, dysfunctional immunity, and coinfections emanate mucosal dysfunction and disease. The immune orchestration by mucosal-lining and hematopoietic cells dictates the outcome of a disease. Using cutting-edge animal models of mucosal diseases, including primary infections, cystic fibrosis, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, and IBD, complemented by OMICS data, the faculty and students in Mucosal Immunology are involved in studying immunopathogenesis and immunological interventions to develop preventive measures and therapeutics.