Kenneth Rock

Kenneth L. Rock, MD, is a Professor and Chair of Pathology at UMass Chan Medical School, with affiliations at the T.H. Chan School of Medicine and the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. His research focuses on immune surveillance mechanisms, particularly how MHC class I molecules present antigens to cytotoxic T cells. His work explores cross-presentation pathways in dendritic cells, the role of endogenous adjuvants like uric acid in inflammation, and mechanisms of tumor immune evasion. Rock earned his MD from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and a BA in Biology from Washington University in St. Louis.

• Education:
• Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Washington University in St. Louis
• Doctor of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine

Research Interests:
Dr. Rock investigates antigen presentation pathways, MHC class I function in immune surveillance, and the role of cell death in triggering inflammatory responses. His lab studies how pathogens and cancers evade immune detection, with a focus on cross-presentation mechanisms and endogenous danger signals like uric acid crystals. Recent work highlights the clinical implications of IRF2 loss in cancer, which disrupts MHC I antigen presentation and reduces immunotherapy efficacy.

Publications:
His most recent studies explore cross-presentation pathways, tumor immune evasion, and the role of Rab39a in phagosome maturation. Research trends emphasize translational applications in immunotherapy and understanding inflammatory responses to cell death.

Labs/Teams:
Rock leads a lab at UMass Chan Medical School, offering rotation projects on immune surveillance, antigen presentation, and danger signals. He actively mentors graduate students and postdocs in immunology and cancer biology.