Research Faculty

Theresa Alenghat, VMD, PhD Member, Division of Immunobiology

Theresa Alenghat, VMD, PhD, investigates central epigenomic pathways that regulate epithelial and immune cell homeostasis in the context of intestinal health and disease. The goal of her research is to provide insight into mechanisms underlying the host-commensal relationship and how this level of regulation affects the development of chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease.
Visit the Alenghat Lab.

513-803-7498 theresa.alenghat@cchmc.org

Claire A. Chougnet, PhD

Claire A. Chougnet, PhD, aims to understand T cell function and dysfunction at a molecular level in human disease, with a focus on defining the molecular mechanisms that underlie T cell dysfunction in HIV/AIDS, defining the molecular mechanisms responsible for immune dysfunction in aging, and understanding the development of T cell responses in very early life.
Visit the Chougnet Lab.

513-636-8847 claire.chougnet@cchmc.org

Senad Divanovic, PhD Member, Division of Immunobiology

Senad Divanovic, PhD, investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of innate immune signaling and inflammation in: (a) development and progression of obesity; (b) development and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; and (b) induction of preterm birth. These studies, range from reductive analysis of TLR ligand signaling and challenge to the role of IL-17 axis to diverse experimental models of obesity and infection.
Visit the Divanovic Lab.

513-636-0286 senad.divanovic@cchmc.org

Fred D. Finkelman, MD

Fred D. Finkelman, MD, uses mouse models to study the roles of antibodies and cytokines in health and disease. Particular interests include allergic disorders, parasitic worm infections, and antibody-mediated disorders.

513-636-6656 finkelfd@ucmail.uc.edu

H. Leighton (Lee) Grimes, PhD Director, Cancer Pathology Program, Division of Experimental Hematology & Division of Pathology

H. Leighton (Lee) Grimes, PhD, focuses on the transcriptional control of normal and malignant hematopoiesis. The goal of his research is to understand how normal blood cells are formed, and to use this information to dissect the molecular pathogenesis of marrow failure and leukemia.
Visit the Grimes Lab.

513-636-6089 lee.grimes@cchmc.org

Andrew B. Herr, PhD Director of Admissions, Immunology Graduate Program

Andrew B. Herr, PhD, studies protein-protein interactions involved in immune receptor signaling and bacterial pathogenesis. His lab uses X-ray crystallography to solve the atomic structures of proteins along with techniques of biophysical chemistry to understand their interactions in solution. The goal is to understand the molecular basis for autoimmune responses and recurrent bacterial infections, and to develop new therapeutic applications.
Visit the Herr Lab.

513-803-7490 andrew.herr@cchmc.org

Rana Herro, PhD

Fibrosis is the end result of many inflammatory, autoimmune, and malignant diseases, often triggered by epithelial injury. It is characterized by an inflammatory phase followed by tissue remodeling leading to the uncontrolled accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins expressed by myofibroblasts, in failing internal organs. Fibrosis is responsible for 45% of death in USA and current therapies slow the rate of decline or limit inflammation without effectively reversing tissue remodeling and fibers’ deposition. Hence the need to develop novel anti-fibrotic drugs that limit myofibroblast survival and activity to suppress disease symptoms. The Herro lab investigates the involvement of TNF Superfamily members in fibrosis associated with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Systemic Sclerosis, Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitits, Asthma and Atopic Dermatitis, among others. Using a Human-Mouse-Human strategy, Dr. Herro’s team aims to identify drug targets (including TNF molecules) in fibrotic biopsies of patients, validate the implication of such targets and pathways in murine models of disease using conditional or full knockout mice, and translate these findings to humans using in vitro models (organ-on-chip cultures of primary human cells perpetuating disease in patients). This should establish a proof-of concept to target these molecules in therapeutic intervention to cure fibrosis in humans.

858-729-3784 rana.herro@cchmc.org

John Hogenesch, PhD

Dr. Hogenesch's lab studies the mammalian circadian clock using genomic and computational tools. They use these tools to discover new clock genes, learn how the clock keeps time, and how it coordinates rhythms in physiology and behavior. This clock research drives development of genomic and computational methods that they apply to other areas of biology. Finally, they recognize biological complexity and conduct this research at the network, rather than single gene, level.

484-842-4232 john.hogenesch@cchmc.org

Michael B. Jordan, MD Member, Division of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Immune Deficiency

Michael B. Jordan, MD, specializes in caring for children with histiocytic disorders, primary immune deficiencies, or who are undergoing bone marrow transplantation. His laboratory focuses on understanding effector T cell function, immune regulation, and the pathogenesis of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. He is also conducting preclinical scientific studies in addition to a translational clinical trial.

513-636-1773 michael.jordan@cchmc.org

Jonathan D. Katz, PhD

Jonathan D. Katz, PhD, is working to understand the role that autoreactive T lymphocytes play in the Immunopathogenesis of type 1 diabetes, the most common pediatric autoimmune disease. Major focuses include defining: (a) the control of autoreactive T cells via central and peripheral tolerance; (b) the role NKT cells play in regulating autoreactive T cells; and (c) the role dendritic cells play in activating and regulating autoreactive T cells in type 1 diabetes.
Visit the Katz Lab.

513-636-5306 jonathan.katz@cchmc.org

Ian P. Lewkowich, PhD

Ian P. Lewkowich, PhD, investigates the factors that drive the development of severe allergic asthma, with a particular focus on the molecular mechanisms through which Th17 cytokines enhance IL-13 signaling, the regulation of the asthmatic response through the PD-1/PD-L axis and the mechanisms of the well-described maternal influence in inherited asthma risk.
Visit the Lewkowich Lab.

513-636-3999 ian.lewkowich@cchmc.org

Emily R. Miraldi, PhD

Dr. Miraldi is a computational and systems biologist who builds mathematical models of the immune system from high-dimensional genomics measurements. Her studies leverage biotechnologies, including chromatin accessibility and single-cell gene expression measurements, and require new computational methods development. Miraldi’s long-term goal is to use these models to reengineer immune-cell behavior in the context of autoimmune and other diseases.
Visit the Miraldi Lab.

513-517-2063 emily.miraldi@cchmc.org

Chandrashekhar Pasare, DVM, PhD Member, Division of Immunobiology

Chandrashekhar Pasare, DVM, PhD, investigates the mechanisms by which the innate immune system regulates adaptive immune responses. He is also interested in role of Toll-like receptors in innate immunity and inflammation. The overall goal of his research is to provide molecular and cellular insights into how the activation of pattern recognition receptors in cells of the innate immune system induces tailored adaptive immune responses necessary for elimination of specific pathogens.
Visit the Pasare Lab

513-636-6656 chandrashekhar.pasare@cchmc.org

Krishna M. Roskin, PhD

Krishna M. Roskin, PhD, develops tools and techniques to analyze the immune receptor (BCR and TCR) repertoires and uses that to study the human immune system focusing on autoimmunity and immunodeficiencies.

Visit the Roskin Lab.

513-803-2902

Tamara Tilburgs, PhD Member, Division of Immunobiology

Dr. Tilburgs’ laboratory investigates how maternal immune cells establish immune tolerance to fetal and placental allo-antigens and remain competent to respond to infections both systemically and in placental tissues. Development of novel methods to purify and culture primary human decidual immune cells as well as the invasive HLA-C and HLA-G expressing extravillous trophoblasts (EVT) from placental tissues, during her doctoral and postdoctoral training has led to the extensive characterization of these cells as well as their functional interactions. A major advance of her work was the realization that HLA-C expression on EVT has a dual role in immune tolerance and immunity at the maternal-fetal interface. First paternal HLA-C expressed by EVT is the key molecule that can elicit allogeneic immune responses by maternal T and NK cells and for which maternal-fetal tolerance needs to be established. Secondly, HLA-C is the only classical MHC molecule expressed by EVT that can present a wide variety of peptides to maternal memory T cells and establish protective immunity. In addition, HLA-C is also a major determinant for NK cell inhibition and activation. Current projects in the Tilburgs’ lab include i) Investigation of the mechanisms by which decidual NK cells, effector T cells and regulatory T cells recognize HLA-C allo-antigens and its relevance in the development of pregnancy complications such as spontaneous preterm birth and preeclampsia; and ii) Identification of factors that regulate decidual CD8+ T cell and decidual NK cell function and dysfunction that allows for placental and fetal development, as well as a reversal of their dysfunctional state to provide immunity to placental infections. This work may identify novel mechanisms to induce or activate antigen specific Treg that suppress detrimental placental inflammatory responses and may also reveal unexpected ways to activate NK and T cells to control placental infections and diminish congenital disease due to maternal to fetal transmission of pathogens.

513-803-1055 tamara.tilburgs@cchmc.org

Ralph E. Vatner, MD, PhD

Radiation therapy is a powerful, non-invasive tool for controlling primary and metastatic tumors in adults and children. However, radiotherapy has two primary limitations: 1) it has limited utility in controlling widely metastatic disease, and 2) it can cause toxic late effects, especially in growing children. Dr. Vatner's research is focused on addressing these two limitations of radiotherapy by studying the effects of ionizing radiation on the immune system.

513-584-5327 ralph.vatner@cchmc.org

Immunobiology

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