Faculty

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.

Research Interests: The Urbano Lab studies host-microbe interactions that involve the actin cytoskeleton. Immune signals such as IFN-g activate host cells to fight infection by stimulating expression of cellular defenses that include actin-binding proteins (ABPs). Our lab aims to characterize the functions of these ABPs in the context of the immune response to learn how actin-based immunity impacts microbial pathogenesis and pathogen clearance. One area of active research involves the role of ABPs in microbial actin-based motility and cell-to-cell dissemination (Listeria, Shigella, Burkholderia, etc.). Additionally, ABPs are important components of the host cell adhesion and motility machinery. Here we aim to understand how immune activation modifies the mechanical properties of cells to mobilize to sites of infection, capture and eliminate microbes.

Research Interests: Research Interests: Our research group is dedicated to the engineering of immune cells using biocompatible nanomaterials. One of our primary objectives is to amplify the efficacy of current cancer immunotherapies by enabling real-time, non-invasive, and continuous tracking of these engineered immune cells in vivo. Within the framework of cell-based immunotherapy, we strive to provide comprehensive insights into the location and functionality of immune cells in clinically relevant settings.

Research Interests: Dr. Brostoff's research focuses on host-pathogen interactions and studying the immune response to viral disease and vaccination, primarily for feline coronavirus. She is interested in understanding the immune response to natural disease and finding ways to leverage this to improve the safety and efficacy of vaccines. She is additionally developing novel point of care diagnostic tests for both infectious disease and cancer.

Research Interests: The Savage lab studies interactions between pathogens, the microbiota, and host. In particular, I currently focus on how the microbiota promotes a heathy colonocyte immunometabolism and how this interaction is altered during disease, putting the host at risk of infection with pathogens and pathobionts. My overall research goal is to understand the basis behind these host-microbiota interactions during health so that host health can be supported with therapeutics during microbial disruption to prevent a loss of colonization resistance.