Faculty

Research Interests: The Link Laboratory studies how nutrition, the microbiome, and genetic diversity shape the immune system in both health and chronic inflammatory disease. Using a combination of mouse models and human patient samples, we investigate how these factors influence immune function at multiple levels starting from the overall immune responses all the way to exploring the underlying transcriptional and epigenetic programs. To achieve this, we integrate advanced bulk and single-cell multi-omics approaches with cutting-edge computational analyses.

Research Interests: I run clinical trials and an R01 funded basic science lab investigating cancer immunology. I have three overlapping areas of research focus: 1) Mechanisms of resistance to cancer immunotherapy and how to overcome them. 2) Immune modulatory effects of radiotherapy. 3) Influence of obesity and aging on the immune system and how this influences cancer development, progression, and treatment response.

Research Interests: My lab studies the systemic and local of effects of polytrauma on fracture repair with the clinical goal of improving osseous healing in these patients as polytrauma is an independent risk factor for fracture nonunion. We focus on how severe trauma alters the local fracture immune response initially and the longitudinal effects, focusing on the innate and adaptive immune alterations respectively. We use this information to develop therapeutic targets and immunomodulatory treatments.

Research Interests: Tissue function emerges from the synergy between resident cells and the extracellular matrix, which together provide key mechanical infrastructure and a reservoir of biological cues. With age, tissues experience functional decline, driven in part by changes in both the cells and the surrounding matrix. To understand what it means to age, and how we might prevent or even reverse aspects of the aging process, the Gilchrist Lab uses biomaterials and stem cells to engineer artificial tissues. These model systems allow us to uncover the biological mechanisms that guide cells toward ‘young’ or ‘aged’ states. Using mechanical and polymer modeling, we characterize the dynamic alterations to biological tissues and gels across a large range of stress, strain, and lifespans. Informed by these measurements, we design synthetic and naturally derived polymers, combine them with human induced pluripotent stem cells, and grow organoids, which are small, self-assembled constructs that recapitulate key functional, structural, and cellular features of native tissue. We are especially interested in aging of the blood and immune system, which undergo marked functional decline with age. During normal development, the bone marrow, which regulates the blood and immune stem cells, provides essential mechanical cues that regulate cellular activity. With age, however, the mechanics of the bone marrow are dramatically altered. By leveraging our in vitro tissue platforms, we study how these age-related changes in the bone marrow contribute to the decline of the blood and immune system. Through this work, we aim to advance the fields of stem cells, aging, and rejuvenation

Dr. Hurrell’s lab explores the dynamic interplay between nutrition, metabolism, and immune regulation, focusing on how specific nutrients and metabolic pathways influence the development and function of immune cells in both health and disease, particularly asthma and allergy. Utilizing a variety of cutting-edge mouse models, including genetically engineered strains, specialized diets and established asthma models, his team investigates the impact of dietary factors on immune responses and asthma pathogenesis. By applying techniques such as flow cytometry, transcriptomics, and metabolomics to profile immune cell populations and their metabolic states, the lab aims to identify innovative dietary strategies that can modulate immune function and improve lung health.

My research interests are primarily in adoptive T-cell therapy (ACT) for solid tumors. While ACT has demonstrated impressive results in hematologic malignancies, success has been limited in solid tumors. I am investigating ways to improve ACT through novel methods of generating genetically-modified cells and through modulating the tumor immune microenvironment.

Research Interests: Research in the Zamora Lab focuses on cancer immunology, with an emphasis on developing strategies to modulate the immune system for more precise and effective elimination of cancer cells. We employ cellular engineering techniques to enhance immune cell specificity while minimizing off-target toxicities. Our work integrates advanced single-cell technologies to profile the phenotypic, functional, and receptor repertoires of neoantigen-specific T cells.

Research Interests: We have long appreciated the role that neutrophils play as first responders of the immune system during microbial infections. New evidence is emerging on the transcriptomic and phenotypic diversity of this highly abundant circulating white blood cell. In the Diaz-Ochoa lab we combine classical immunological techniques with a systems approach to gain mechanistic insights on the contributions of neutrophil diversity in host responses to bacterial infections.

Research Interests: As a cellular microbiologist, my research focuses on leveraging insights from pathogen studies to deepen our understanding of host cellular processes. My lab's primary aim is to uncover the virulence mechanisms driving Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogenesis in wound infections, as well as the eukaryotic host responses designed to control these infections. We also utilize bacterial toxins as molecular tools to explore key mammalian cellular processes, including cell cycle regulation, cytokinesis, programmed cell death (apoptosis), and apoptotic compensatory proliferation signaling. A particular area of interest for us is the innate immune dysregulation that makes diabetic wounds susceptible to infection and impairs healing. In addition, we have identified critical innate immune pathways that recognize P. aeruginosa and investigated how this pathogen suppresses these immune responses. Additionally, we explore the use of immunomodulators to enhance innate immune responses as a strategy for combating infections at surgical sites.

Research Interests: My research aims to understand the interaction between host factors, tissue resident immune cells, and metastasis formation in solid tumors of the GI tract. Specifically, our current work focuses on how obesity may alter liver resident immune cells and augment the metastatic niche in pancreatic cancer. We utilize multiple models and tissues to answer these questions, including cell lines, mouse models, and surgical specimens from patients undergoing surgery.