The Immunology Podcast

Dr. Erica Saphire is President and CEO of La Jolla Institute. Her research explains, at the molecular level, how and viruses are pathogenic and provides the roadmap for medical defense. She talks about the capabilities of cryo-electron microscopy and how it can help illuminate the mechanisms of measles viral fusion. She also discusses her role leading La Jolla Institute.

Dr. Nicole Quinn is the Director of Brand and Scientific Communications at STEMCELL Technologies, where as part of her role, she develops and oversees programs that help scientists keep current with the latest scientific advances and innovations in their field. In this episode, she discusses the upcoming second season of the The Lab Coats & Life™ Podcast, which aims to help scientists thrive by keeping listeners informed about useful soft skills and relevant trends in the scientific community. She talks about her role as a co-host, what she’s learned about podcasting, key takeaways from conversations about science mentorship, and what to expect in Season 2.

Dr. Gail Bishop is a Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Iowa, where her lab studies the molecular mechanisms underlying lymphocyte activation and tolerance. She talks about TRAF signaling, the NFκB pathway, and effects on B and T lymphocytes. She also discusses her role as Editor-In-Chief of The Journal of Immunology.

Dr. Lili Yang is a Professor of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her research centers on deciphering the molecular mechanisms regulating anti-cancer immune responses, exploiting knowledge to develop novel immunotherapies for treating cancer, and translating these new cancer immunotherapies from bench to bedside. She talks about engineering off-the-shelf immunotherapies to fight cancer and generating CAR-NKT cells from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. She also discusses the role of serotonin and how SSRIs can affect cancer therapy efficacy.

Dr. Rahul Roychoudhuri is a Professor of Cancer Immunology at the University of Cambridge (Department of Pathology) and Director (Non-Clinical) of the CRUK Cambridge Centre Training Programme. His lab studies immunoregulatory mechanisms in inflammation and cancer. He talks about enhancing cell therapy with new payloads and targeting cancer cells during metastasis.

Dr. Pascal Meier is a Professor and Group Leader at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, England. His group investigates the complex relationship between cell death, immunity, and tumorigenesis. Particularly, they are focused on the role of cell death and inflammation in adaptation to tissue stress, treatment resistance, and tumour surveillance.

Dr. Marcelo Hill is the Head of the Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Inflammation at the Institut Pasteur de Montevideo. He is also the Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of ARDAN ImmunoPharma. His research focuses on immune regulation in cancer, and how T cells respond to immunotherapy in melanoma. He talks about improving immunotherapy efficacy by activating the inflammasome, and how he is pushing this research towards the clinic by collaborating with industry and creating a spin-off company. He is then joined by Drs. Marion Brunck and María Julia Lamberti, who discuss the upcoming meeting of the Latin American and Caribbean Association of Immunology, taking place November 4-8 in Buenos Aires. They discuss the challenges and opportunities in the Latin American immunology community, and how this conference aims to promote collaborations and empower early-career researchers.

Dr. JoAnne Flynn is a Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh and Dr. Stephen Hedrick is Chancellor's Associates Chair VII Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of California, San Diego. They talk about the American Association of Immunologists' Immunology Explained campaign, which aims to explain the science of the immune system to the general public. They also discuss their efforts to educate legislators about the value of immunology research and promoting childhood vaccination.

Dr. Theresa Alenghat is a Professor in the Immunobiology Division and the Margaret K. Hostetter Chair at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati. Her lab investigates mechanisms underlying the host-microbiota relationship, and how this regulation affects intestinal immunity and inflammatory bowel disease. She discusses how butyrate affects tuft cells in the intestine.

Dr. Roslyn Kemp is a Professor of Immunology at the University of Otago. Her research focuses on T cells as mediators of anti-tumor immunity and inflammation. She discusses using organoids to model inflammatory bowel disease and collecting immune cell signatures in cancer. She also talks about writing a book to demystify science research and careers.

Dr. Wayne Juang is a Field Application Scientist, Immunology at STEMCELL Technologies. In his current role, he works with researchers to help optimize and troubleshoot their experiments. He discusses his path to industry and his motivation to pursue an MBA.

Dr. Kipp Weiskopf is a Valhalla Fellow at the Whitehead Institute. His research focuses on unlocking the therapeutic potential of macrophages for the benefit of cancer patients. He talks about the role of macrophages in the tumor environment and how targeting the CD47/SIRPα axis can induce phagocytosis of cancer cells. He also discusses starting spin-off companies to advance cancer therapies.

Dr. Adrian Erlebacher is a Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. His lab studies how the developmental properties of a tissue influence its ability to mount a successful immune response. He talks about immune tolerance in pregnancy and how the maternal–fetal interface affects pregnancy outcomes.

Dr. Jeffrey Rathmell is the Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Immunobiology at the Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology. His research focuses on T cell metabolism in cancer. He talks about what T cells use for fuel and his work on fatty acid synthesis. He also discusses the 'obesity paradox' in cancer immunotherapy and his favorite parts of being a scientist and professor.

Dr. Shana Kelley is the President of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago and the Neena B. Schwartz Professor of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University. The Kelley research group works in a variety of areas spanning bio analytical technology development and has pioneered new methods for tracking molecular and cellular analytes with unprecedented sensitivity. She talks about developing DNA-based reagentless biosensors and commercializing new technologies.

Dr. Susan Kaech is a Professor and Director of the NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis at the Salk Institute. Her lab aims to understand how memory T cells are produced during infection and vaccination, how they function, and why they can fail to induce long-term immunity, particularly during chronic disease or cancer. In this episode, she talks about her research on T cell exhaustion and neuroimmunology, as well as her path from genetics to immunology.

Dr. Priya Devarajan is an Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University. Her work focuses on immune memory and respiratory immunology. She talks about how aging affects the immune system and strategies to promote immune responses in the nose and lungs. She also discusses improving influenza vaccine responses and her experience interviewing for faculty positions.

Dr. Erika Moore is an Assistant Professor in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering at the University of Maryland, where her lab is committed to engineering biomaterial models that harness the regenerative potential of the immune system. She talks about building biomaterials, rejuvenating macrophages, and treating lupus. She also discusses using the right cells in research and promoting financial literacy to make science careers more accessible.

Dr. Kellen Cavagnero is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, San Diego. His PhD work focused on how fibroblasts — a cell type thought to be immunologically inert — contribute to chronic inflammatory conditions and defense against pathogens. He talks about staph infections, antimicrobial resistance, and the types and roles of fibroblasts. He also discusses his work in science communication, including his podcast, Inflammatory Content.

In May 2024, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2024™, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists, in Chicago. We spoke with delegates about their research and impressions of the meeting, including their reasons for attending and the most memorable research presented.