Greg Barton

Greg Barton is a Professor and Department Co-Chair in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also a Howard Hughes Investigator and leads the Barton Lab, which focuses on innate immunity mechanisms, particularly the function and regulation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs). His research explores pathogen recognition, self/non-self discrimination, and the interplay between innate immunity and microbial pathogens.

Research interests include TLR signal transduction pathways, autoimmune disease mechanisms, host-pathogen coevolution, and intestinal immunity. The lab uses a multidisciplinary approach to study TLR-mediated immune responses and their implications for immunity, inflammation, and autoimmunity.

Recent work highlights discoveries in TLR trafficking regulation via UNC93B1, the role of microbiota in immune programming, and the developmental biology of immune cells like macrophages and neutrophils. The lab’s findings have advanced understanding of how innate immune receptors balance pathogen detection with self-tolerance.

• Awards: Howard Hughes Investigator (a prestigious NIH-supported independent research position)

Advising and grants: The lab supports early-career researchers like Drs. John Huizar (ACR Distinguished Fellow), Camille Brewer (Damon Runyon Fellow), and Benjamin Brian (Damon Runyon Fellow). These trainees have contributed to projects on autoimmune mechanisms, cancer biology, and microbial interactions.

Labs/Teams: The Barton Lab is part of UC Berkeley’s Division of Immunology and Molecular Medicine. Collaborations span microbiology, genetics, and computational biology, with a focus on translational immunology.