Jenny PY Ting

Jenny PY Ting, PhD, is the William R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Genetics at the UNC School of Medicine and a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. She serves as Director of the Center for Translational Immunology and Co-Director of the Inflammatory Diseases Institute. Her research focuses on innate immunity, inflammation, and the molecular mechanisms underlying autoimmune diseases, cancer, and neuroinflammation.

Dr. Ting's lab investigates the NLR protein family, particularly their roles in inflammasome activation, MHC regulation, and microbial sensing. She has discovered critical functions of NLRC5 and CIITA in immune gene transcription and pioneered studies on plexin-semaphorin signaling in immune cell interactions. Her work on SARS-CoV-2 revealed necroptosis-driven cell death cascades in airway cells, informing therapeutic strategies against cytokine storms.

• Key Projects:
  • Microbiome-based therapies for multiple sclerosis
  • Targeting NLRP3 inflammasomes in inflammatory diseases
  • Role of plexins in T cell activation and sepsis
• Awards: National Academy of Sciences member (2022), AAI Distinguished Fellow (2023), ICIS-Pfizer Award (2021).

Her lab employs cutting-edge techniques including transcriptomics, proteomics, and murine models. Collaborations span virology, oncology, and neurobiology, with translational goals for immune-based therapies.