Ellen Robey

Ellen Robey is a Professor of Immunology and Molecular Medicine at the University of California, Berkeley, serving as Division Head of the IMM Division. Her research focuses on signaling pathways controlling T cell fate decisions, using mouse models to study T cell development and immune responses, including mechanisms of thymic selection and CD4/CD8 lineage commitment. She employs 2-photon imaging to analyze T cell behavior in situ, particularly during parasitic infections like Toxoplasma gondii. Robey’s lab investigates how self-reactivity influences thymic selection timing and develops collaborative projects combining multi-omics approaches with spatial and temporal analyses of thymic development.

Key research areas include understanding negative/positive selection mechanisms in the thymus, immune response dynamics during chronic infections, and the role of unconventional T cell subsets recognizing non-classical MHC molecules. The lab has pioneered studies on Qa1-restricted T cells and their role in host defense against pathogens. Her work bridges basic immunology with cutting-edge imaging and systems biology tools to unravel complex immune processes.

Lab collaborations include projects with Nir Yosef and Aaron Streets to create high-resolution thymic developmental maps using single-cell multi-omics. Current efforts also explore how ERAAP downregulation alters antigen presentation, influencing T cell responses. The Robey Lab emphasizes diversity in its team, fostering an inclusive environment for scientific innovation.