معرفی
James Di Santo is a Professor at the Institut Pasteur, where he serves as Director of the Innate Immunity Unit and Director of Inserm U1223. He has held leadership positions at the Institut Pasteur since 2002, including Director of the Department of Immunology (2002-2006), and currently serves as Adjoint Director of the Translational Research Center. His academic career spans prestigious institutions including Cornell University and collaborations with NIH/NCI.
Dr. Di Santo received his B.A. in Biology from Johns Hopkins University (1983), followed by a combined M.D./Ph.D. program at Cornell University, earning his Ph.D. in Immunology of Medical Sciences (1989) and M.D. in Medicine (1991). His educational background established the foundation for his career in immunological research.
- Johns Hopkins University - B.A. in Biology (1983)
- Cornell University Graduate School - Ph.D. in Immunology of Medical Sciences (1989)
- Cornell University Medical College - M.D. in Medicine (1991)
His research program centers on innate immunity with particular focus on innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), NK cells, and lymphocyte development. Dr. Di Santo has pioneered the use of humanized mouse models to study immune responses in human disease contexts. His laboratory investigates cytokine signaling pathways, transcription factors, and in vivo models of immune function, with applications to HIV biology, tumor models, and immunodeficiency diseases. His work has significantly advanced understanding of how innate immune cells develop and function in tissue-specific environments.
The publication record of Dr. Di Santo demonstrates consistent high-impact contributions to immunology, particularly in innate immunity. His most recent work focuses on ILC plasticity and tissue-specific differentiation, building on earlier foundational studies of NK cell development and cytokine signaling. The research trajectory shows progression from basic lymphocyte development mechanisms to sophisticated humanized models with translational implications for infectious diseases and cancer immunology.
Dr. Di Santo's scientific achievements have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards:
- European Federation of Immunological Societies Award (2017)
- ERC Advanced Grant 'ILC_REACTIVITY' (2015)
- Distinguished Alumnus Award from Weill Cornell Graduate School (2013)
- Distinguished Immunologist Award from University of Alberta (2013)
- Grand Challenge grant from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (2005)
As a research leader, Dr. Di Santo has supervised numerous postdoctoral fellows and graduate students through his laboratory at the Institut Pasteur. He has secured substantial competitive funding including ERC Advanced Grants and NIH funding. His scientific leadership extends to advisory roles on Scientific Advisory Boards for the Babraham Institute and Helmholtz Institute, and membership on commissions for ANR, ARC, and Inserm. Dr. Di Santo is actively involved in shaping the field through organization of major conferences including the EMBO ILC Conference and International Workshops on Humanized Mice.
The Innate Immunity Unit led by Dr. Di Santo represents a major research hub in immunology at the Institut Pasteur. The laboratory employs cutting-edge approaches to study innate lymphoid cell biology, with particular emphasis on human relevance through humanized mouse models. Current research directions focus on ILC plasticity, tissue-specific immune responses, and applications to therapeutic development for immune-related diseases.
