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Laboratory of Molecular Immunoregulation

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Research

The Laboratory of Molecular Immunoregulation performs fundamental research studies of the role of cytokines and chemokines in inflammation, immunity, angiogenesis, and cancer. LMI scientists engage in the discovery, identification and characterization of new cytokines, study the action of cytokines on target cells (studies of receptors, second and third messengers), determine effects on cell differation and cell death pathways and study cytokine regulation of pathophysiological processes.

The lab consists of four interactive groups:

- Dr. Oppenheim is studying the structure/function relationships of the family of chemoattractant cytokines. He is investigating the role of chemokines in inflammation, immunity, and chemokine mimics such as defensins and autoantigens. Dr. Oppenheim is also investigating the regulation of angiogenesis by chemokines and identifying chemokine inhibitors and immuno-regulatory molecules present in natural products. He is also investigating the pathophysiological consequences of receptor cross-talk in regulating the functions of receptors for pain and chemokines.

- Dr. O.M. Zack Howard, Staff Scientist in the Cellular Immunology Group is investigating the immune modulator effects of chemokine receptor-mediated responses to self antigens and chemokines.

- Dr. De Yang, SAIC Senior Scientist in the Cellular Immunology Group is investigating the roles of Amps, chemotactic factors, and dendritic cells in innate and adaptive immunity and the underlying mechanisms.

- Dr. Xin Chen, SAIC Staff Scientist in the Cellular Immunology Group is investigating the study of the effects of pharmacological agents, derived from alternative medicine system (traditional Chinese medicine) and conventional biomedical system (natural products), on the function of chemokine receptors, T regulatory cells and dendritic cells as a means of modifying immune responses.

- Dr. Scott Durum, head of the Immunological Cytokine Research Group, is investigating the role of cytokines such as IL7 in the development of T lymphocyte and natural killer cell lineages and their role in promoting cell survival, terminal differentiation and apoptotic cell death.

- Dr. Ji Ming Wang, head of the Chemoattractant Receptor and Signal Group, is engaged in studies on the role of chemoattractant receptors such as FPR and FPRL-1 in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and tumor progression of glioblastomas.

- Dr. Teizo Yoshimura, Staff Scientist under the Office of the Chief, is investigating the role of MCP-1 in the development of chronic inflammation and tumors in animal models utilizing MCP-1 knockout mice and Dr. Ji Ming Wang's neurodegenerative and tumor models.

- Dr. Andy Hurwitz, head of the Tumor Immunity and Tolerance Group, is pursuing studies of the close relationship of autoimmunity and tumor immunity in animal models being vaccinated to treat melanoma and immunosuppressed to treat autoimmune states (e.g. EAE). He is also evaluating the effect of inflammation and immunity on prostate tumors in mice.

This page was last updated on 7/30/2008.