Som G Nanjappa

Som G Nanjappa is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathobiology at the University of Illinois. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2009). He specializes in T cell biology, fungal infections, and vaccine development, with a focus on CD8+ T cells, Tc17 cells, and their roles in combating fungal pathogens like Blastomyces dermatitidis and Cryptococcus neoformans.

His research explores mechanisms of vaccine-induced immunity, particularly in immunocompromised hosts, and investigates how T cell responses contribute to protection against fungal pneumonia. Recent work highlights the role of GM-CSF+ Tc17 cells in vaccine efficacy and the importance of molecules like sialophorin in CD8+ T cell activation. Collaborations span immunology, oncology, and microbiology, with studies on 27-hydroxycholesterol’s impact on breast cancer progression and T cell dysfunction.

Publications emphasize fungal vaccine strategies, immune memory persistence, and the interplay between innate and adaptive immunity. His findings have been featured in journals like Cell Reports, PLoS Pathogens, and Frontiers in Immunology, with impactful contributions to understanding antifungal immunity and T cell plasticity.