[CMIA Roster] [CMIB Roster]

The two Cellular and Molecular Immunology study sections review applications that investigate the biochemical, cell biological and genetic processes that regulate the development, survival, death, activation and function of lymphocytes and other cells of the adaptive immune system. The two study sections are to be considered as interchangeable, with a few areas of specialization in each.

Subjects to be reviewed by either CMI study section include:

• Gene regulation during lymphocyte development, differentiation or response to environmental signals or cytokines.
  
  
• Lymphocyte development and differentiation from hematopoietic precursors.
  
  
• The selection of lymphocyte repertoire during development and during responses to antigen. The mechanisms and regulation of VDJ recombination of TCR and Ig genes, isotype switching and the somatic hypermutation of immunoglobulin genes.
  
  
• The differentiation of naive lymphocytes into specialized effector cells and long-lived memory cells.
  
  
• Molecular and biochemical aspects of lymphocyte activation induced by antigens, hormones, cytokines and costimulatory molecules.
  
  
• Lymphocyte homeostasis including the survival and persistence of peripheral B and T cells. This area would be expected to include studies on thymus and bone marrow output and lymphocyte competition in peripheral lymphoid organs.
  
  
• Basic mechanisms of myelo- and lympho-poietic cell cycle, growth control, and death.
  
  
• Lymphocyte homing, migration, and chemokines. Regulation of expression and function of cell adhesion, inhibitory, and chemokine receptors. Lymphocyte migration and localization within secondary lymphoid organs and non-lymphoid tissues. Interactions of lymphocytes with endothelium. Signal transduction pathways and cellular processes regulating lymphocyte migration, including cell polarization and cytoskeletal reorganization.
  
  
• Genesis of lymphoid organs.
  
  
• Antigen processing and presentation. Antigen recognition by T cells. Structural and functional investigations of classical and non-classical MHC molecules and their ligands. Pathways involved in antigen uptake, internalization, and intracellular processing. Investigation of the function of different antigen-presenting cell types and mechanisms that regulate antigen presentation function by dendritic cells, B cells, macrophages and other antigen-presenting cell types.
  
  
• Interface between innate and adaptive immunity, including studies in nontraditional model systems, the effects of innate immunity on the function of antigen presenting cells and lymphocytes as well as the actions of adjuvants.
  
  
• Intracellular signaling, including studies on the composition, assembly and function of signal molecules involved in antigen-specific immune responses. Visualization of signal molecule conformational change, module assembly, and translocation. The biochemistry of a diverse set of second messengers including lipid mediators and reactive nitrogen and oxygen species. Intercellular signaling through cell-to-cell contact, cytokines, and small lipid mediators.

Areas specific to individual study sections include:

Cellular and Molecular Immunology A

• Biophysical analysis. Three-dimensional structure determination of immune system molecules, and their complexes, by x-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance. Examples of appropriate targets include antibodies, T cell receptors, MHC and MHC-like molecules, NK receptors, accessory/costimulatory molecules, cytokines and cytokine receptors, and signaling proteins. Characterization of the interactions between these molecules using biophysical techniques such as surface plasmon resonance, analytical ultracentrifugation, calorimetry and mass spectroscopy.
  
  
• Development of antibodies and other proteins for therapeutic, analytic or diagnostic use in immunological systems. Application of biophysical methods for characterization of immunological systems.
  
  
• Cell biology. Investigation of basic aspects of cell biology as they relate to immune cell function, including the role and regulation of post-translational modifications, intracellular sorting and trafficking of molecules and vesicles, endocytosis and recycling of membranes, structure and function of membranes and membrane microdomains. Studies directed at elucidating structure/function relationships of supramolecular structures and organelles including cytoskeleton, nuclear matrix and envelope as they affect specific aspects of lymphocyte function.

Cellular and Molecular Immunology B

• Immune deficiencies. Identification and characterization of genetic disorders of the immune system that influence lymphocyte development, activation or differentiation.
  
  
• Application of genome-based information in resolving fundamental aspects of the control of expression of genes governing adaptive and innate immune responses. The application of computational as well as other experimental approaches directed at understanding the function of individual genes, multi-gene families, genome regulatory networks/circuits, and protein-protein or cell-cell interactions in immune responses is included. Investigations of the translation of genetic information to protein structure and other aspects of proteomics relating to basic immune mechanisms are within the scope of this review group.

CMI has the following shared interests within the IMM IRG:

• With Innate Immunity and Inflammation [III]: Studies at the interface of innate immunity and antigen presentation will overlap with III, as will studies focusing on inflammatory chemokines and leukocyte migration into inflammatory sites. If innate immunity is the central focus, assignment to III may be appropriate; if antigen presentation is the central focus, assignment to CMIA or CMIB may be appropriate. Studies that focus on NK receptor signaling may be assigned to III. Cell signaling pertaining to immune disorders may be referred to III, whereas studies that focus on immune mechanisms may be referred to CMIA or CMIB.
  
  
• With Hypersensitivity, Autoimmune, & Immune-mediated Diseases [HAI]: Studies of immune deficiencies not directly involved in defects of the lymphoid compartments may be assigned to HAI. Specific gene polymorphisms altering the function of the immune system and leading to an autoimmune or inflammatory disease or to immunodeficiency may be reviewed by HAI. Studies of basic lymphocyte development and differentiation may be assigned to CMIA or CMIB. Cell signaling pertaining to immune disorders may be referred to HAI, whereas basic signaling molecules and pathways may be referred to CMIA or CMIB.
  
  
• With Transplantation, Tolerance, and Tumor Immunology [TTT]: TTT shares interests with CMIA and CMIB regarding the development of immune (both self and foreign antigen) tolerance. Applications studying the mechanisms of tolerance induction during lymphocyte development may be reviewed by CMIA and CMIB, while immunoregulatory mechanisms of maintaining self-tolerance may be referred to TTT.
  
  
• With Vaccines Against Microbial Diseases [VMD]: Studies of specific gene polymorphisms altering the function of the immune system may be reviewed by VMD. Studies of basic lymphocyte development and differentiation may be assigned to CMIA or CMIB.

CMI has the following shared interests outside the IMM IRG:

• With the Biological Chemistry & Macromolecular Biophysics [BCMB] IRG:  CMIA will have shared interests with BCMB in areas of structural biology. If the focus is immunology, review may be in CMI A unless the biophysical technique is highly specialized. Crystallographic and nuclear magnetic resonance approaches are broadly used and may be referred to CMIA. If the focus involves highly specialized, or emerging biophysical techniques, the application may be referred to BCMB.
  
  
• With the Genes, Genomes, and Genetics [GGG] IRG: Studies of gene expression in lymphocytes may overlap with the interests of GGG. If the focus is gene expression in the context of immunology then review may be in CMIA or CMIB. If the focus involves specialized or emerging genetic approaches, then the application may be referred to GGG.
  
  
• With the Cell Biology [CB] IRG:  Studies on gene expression and signal transduction may also overlap with the interests of CB. If the focus is cell biology in the context of immunology then review may be in CMIA or CMIB. If the focus involves specialized or emerging cell biological approaches, then review may be in CMIA or CMIB.
  
  
• With the Hematology [HEME] IRG: CMIA and CMIB will have shared interests with HEME in areas related to blood cell formation. If the thrust of the study is immunological, involving lymphopoiesis, assignment to CMI may be appropriate. If the thrust is red blood cell or platelet production, then assignment to HEME may be appropriate. Myelopoiesis is an area of shared interest between the IMM and HEME IRGs.
  
  
• With the organ-system and disease IRGs: Studies of signal transduction and cell death in cells involved in various diseases and inflammation might be reviewed by study sections devoted to the particular disease, organ, or organ-systems to be studied. Similarly, the structure of some molecules might be better reviewed in the context of the cells or processes to which the molecules contribute, e.g., some cytokines and inflammation. Basic studies of signal transduction and cell death in cells involved in immunity and inflammation might be referred to the CMI study sections.