Russell Vance

Russell Vance is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and Professor of Immunology and Molecular Medicine at the University of California, Berkeley. His primary affiliation is with the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology within the College of Letters & Science. Vance’s research focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying host defense against microbial pathogens, particularly bacterial infections such as Shigella flexneri (bacillary dysentery) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (tuberculosis). His lab employs cutting-edge techniques in genetics, cell biology, and immunology to study inflammasome activation, cytosolic pathogen sensing, and the evolutionary origins of innate immune pathways like the STING protein.

Key projects include developing novel mouse models of shigellosis, uncovering the role of SP140 in tuberculosis resistance, and exploring how ancient immune mechanisms (e.g., in sea anemones) inform modern host defense strategies. Vance has pioneered studies on cyclic-di-nucleotide signaling, linking bacterial metabolites to human immune activation. His work frequently collaborates with labs like those of Stanley, Cox, and Portnoy at Berkeley.

Scientific recognition includes membership in the National Academy of Sciences (implied by HHMI status) and over 100 high-impact publications. Notable awards include the HHMI Investigatorship (2009–present). Vance mentors graduate students (e.g., Arthur Cheng) and postdocs, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to infectious disease research. Current efforts aim to translate immune discovery into therapeutic strategies for globally significant pathogens.