Bonnie N. Dittel

Bonnie N. Dittel, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the Medical College of Wisconsin and a Senior Investigator at the Versiti Blood Research Institute. Her research focuses on immune regulation and homeostasis, particularly in autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS). She investigates mechanisms of B cell regulation, immune-mediated neuronal damage, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) as a therapeutic target in central nervous system autoimmunity.

Education: PhD in Pathobiology from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (1994).

Research Interests:

• Regulatory B Cells (Breg): Studies Breg interactions with T regulatory cells (Tregs) in autoimmune recovery, including GITRL-dependent mechanisms and translational work in human models.
• Immune-Mediated Neuronal Damage: Explores how cytotoxic T cells induce axonal damage via lytic granule proteins and microtubule destabilization.
• Myeloperoxidase (MPO): Investigates MPO’s role in inflammation and tests novel inhibitors to mitigate disease severity in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).

No specific awards or grants are listed here, though her work emphasizes collaborative advancements in therapeutic development and autoimmune mechanisms.

Her affiliations bridge the Medical College of Wisconsin and Versiti, fostering interdisciplinary research in immunology and neuroimmunology.