Paul Klenerman is a Professor at the Nuffield Department of Medicine within the Medical Sciences Division , University of Oxford. His research focuses on immune responses to infectious diseases including HIV, hepatitis B/C, and SARS-CoV-2, with emphasis on T-cell biology, vaccine development, and host-pathogen dynamics. Email: paul.klenerman@medawar.ox.ac.uk Collaborators: Ellie Barnes (Oxford), Adrian Hill (Oxford), Georg Lauer (Harvard), Robert Thimme (Freiburg), and others across 12 institutions. Key research themes include: CD161++/MAIT cell biology (bacterial/viral defense, liver immunology), HCV immune defense (vaccine trials using adenoviral vectors), and memory inflation (persistent immune responses post-viral infections). Recent publications (2024-2025) span vaccine immunology (hybrid immunity, bivalent boosters), liver immunobiology (MAIT cell repair mechanisms), infectious disease dynamics (HCV persistence, dengue progression), and single-cell analysis of gut/lung pathologies.
Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren is Professor and Senior Physician at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet (KI) in Sweden, where he has served since 2001. In parallel he founded and directs the Center for Infectious Medicine (CIM) . He is additionally a part-time visiting professor at Nova Southeastern University, USA (2017-2019), and an elected member of the Academia Europaea (2023). Education & Training: MD and PhD, Karolinska Institutet, 1982-1992 Post-doctoral fellowship, Center for Cancer Research, MIT, Boston, USA, 1992-1994 Research Focus His group investigates human immune responses in cancer and infectious diseases , with emphasis on natural-killer (NK) cell biology, innate and adaptive immunity, and immunotherapeutic applications. Major themes include: NK-cell reactivity against tumors and NK-cell–based cancer immunotherapy Immunity to flaviviruses (TBEV, JEV, YFV) and SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine immunogenicity in healthy and immunocompromised populations Genetic and functional studies of cytotoxic lymphocyte defects Scientific Awards & Honors Cancer Research Institute Post-Graduate Fellowship, New York (1990) J William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Award (1992) Distinguished Professor Recognition, Karolinska Institutet (2010) Tobias Foundation Prize, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (2011) Medal for Zealous and Devoted Service to the Swedish Government (2020) Leadership & Service Prof. Ljunggren has held numerous leadership roles at KI, including member of the Nobel Assembly, Dean of Research (2013-2016), and currently Director of the NextGenNK Competence Center founded by Sweden’s Innovation Agency. He has served on editorial boards, national grant panels, and as scientific secretary of the Swedish Cancer Society.
Lars I Eriksson is a Professor and head of the section of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet. His research focuses on the neuroinflammatory and cognitive consequences of surgical trauma and critical illness, with particular emphasis on mechanisms linking systemic inflammation to long-term brain dysfunction. He leads the research group "The brain after surgery and trauma - neuroinflammation, cognitive impairment and dementia" , which investigates postoperative neurocognitive decline, dementia risk, and immune-brain interactions. Key funding sources include the Swedish Research Council (VR Medicine), The Brain Foundation, and the Alzheimer Foundation. Research Interests : Neuroinflammation following surgery/trauma Cognitive decline mechanisms in postoperative patients Immune-brain communication in critical illness Pharmacological prevention of postoperative dementia Clinical translation of experimental immunology findings Recent Work Trends focus on: Immune profiling in critical care survivors (e.g., NeuroCOVID studies) Biomarker development for cognitive outcomes Extracellular vesicle roles in postoperative brain injury Grants & Collaborations**: Active projects include: VR Medicine grant exploring surgery-induced neuroinflammation ALF Region Stockholm funding for translational studies European Society for Anesthesiology support for clinical trials Labs/Teams**: Directly supervises a multidisciplinary team including research engineers (Anette Ebberyd) and senior specialists (e.g., Marta Gómez Galán, Souren Mkrtchian). Collaborates extensively across departments at Karolinska Institutet and internationally.
Prof. Dunja Bruder is a university professor of infection immunology at the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene at Otto von Guericke University (OVGU) and Head of the Immune Regulation Research Group at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI). She obtained her PhD in immunology from TU Braunschweig and completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and Yale University School of Medicine. Her research focuses on immune regulation in respiratory viral infections, chronic inflammatory lung diseases, and mucosal immunity. She leads two research groups and holds leadership roles in the Research Focus on Respiratory Viral Infections (HZI), the CRC 854, and the Otto-von-Guericke Graduate Academy. Her work integrates innate and adaptive immunity, with particular emphasis on T-cell responses, microbiota interactions, and vaccine development. She also contributes to teaching in master's programs and human medicine. Education Bachelor/Master: Biotechnology, Technical University of Braunschweig PhD (1996–1999): Immunodominance and T-cell responses to bacterial toxins, HZI Habilitation (2009): Immunology, Hannover Medical School Research Interests Bruder’s work examines immune responses to respiratory pathogens like influenza and SARS-CoV-2, the role of epithelial-T-cell interactions in asthma, and the modulation of immune defenses by microbiota. She investigates vaccine strategies using defective interfering particles and antigen-targeting approaches. Her studies also address antitumor immune training via viral infections and metabolic control of T-cell function in asthma endotypes. Key Contributions She pioneered the analysis of alveolar macrophage dysfunction in chronic lung diseases and demonstrated the protective role of IL-33 in microbiota-mediated antibacterial defenses. Her team developed predictive models for influenza infection using hematological data and identified CD47 as a critical regulator of antiviral macrophage activity. Labs/Teams Leads the Immune Regulation Group at HZI and collaborates with the Institute of Medical Microbiology at OVGU. Active in the HZI’s Respiratory Viral Infections Research Focus and the CRC 854.
Iva Filipovic serves as a Research Specialist in the Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology at Karolinska Institutet since 2025, following her Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2019-2025) at the Department of Medicine Huddinge, Center for Infectious Medicine. She contributes to The Systems Virology Lab under Ujjwal Neogi, focusing on translational immunology in medical contexts. Her educational background includes: PhD in Physiology, Development and Neuroscience (Reproductive Immunology), University of Cambridge (2019) MSc in Immunology, Imperial College London (2015) BSc in Molecular Biology with Physiology, University of Belgrade (2014) Her research integrates tissue-resident immunology with systems approaches, examining innate lymphocytes in reproductive health, infectious diseases, and cancer. She employs advanced methodologies including RNA-Seq, single-cell analysis, and 29-color flow cytometry to investigate immune mechanisms in endometrial tissue, liver fibrosis, and viral pathogenesis. Current work emphasizes translational applications in sepsis, cholangiocarcinoma, and SARS-CoV-2 immunity. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2018-2025) reveals dominant themes in mucosal immunology, with significant contributions to understanding MAIT cells in sepsis, NK cell dynamics in reproduction, and immune biomarkers in cancer. Her work consistently bridges basic immunology with clinical applications through multi-omics approaches and large-scale collaborative studies like the Karolinska KI/K COVID-19 immune atlas. She actively participates in The Systems Virology Lab, contributing to Karolinska's infectious disease research infrastructure. Her technical expertise in high-dimensional immune profiling supports collaborative projects across virology, hepatology, and oncology research groups at Karolinska Institutet.
Erin Adams is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Chicago, focusing on molecular immunology and nonclassical MHC-like molecules . Her lab integrates structural biology , biochemistry , and cellular assays to study unconventional T cell recognition mechanisms. Education: BS in Animal Physiology and Neuroscience (UC San Diego), PhD in Evolutionary Genetics (UC Berkeley), Postdoc in Molecular Immunology (Stanford) Research areas include: Immune system distinction between healthy and diseased tissue γδ T cells, Natural Killer T cells, and MAIT cells Antigen presentation via nonclassical proteins (CD1, MR1, HLA-F) Structural and functional analysis of immune receptors Recent publications highlight discoveries in: HLA-F peptide presentation to NK receptors MR1 ligand diversity in microbial metabolites Butyrophilin-mediated phosphoantigen recognition α-synuclein membrane interactions in neurodegeneration Awards include the Joseph Regenstein Professorship (2016-present) and Searle Scholar (2007-2010). Her lab has trained notable graduates like Amrita Ramesh and Chris Boughter . Current NIH grants (e.g., R01AI170952) investigate HLA-F and MR1 roles in immune regulation.
Zuri Sullivan is a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University, affiliated with the Catherine Dulac Lab. Her work focuses on the intersection of immunology and neuroscience, particularly how inflammatory signals influence social behavior in mice through hypothalamic circuits. Education: PhD in Immunobiology from Yale University AB in Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) from Harvard College Research interests span neuroimmunology, inflammation, and genetic screening. Key projects include studying mast cell-leukotriene signaling in anaphylaxis, hypothalamic circuitry in social homeostasis, and the role of γδ T cells in nutrient sensing. Her work often integrates immunobiology with behavioral neuroscience. Recent publications highlight her contributions to understanding immune-gut-brain axis interactions, genetic tools for tissue mapping, and disease mechanisms in obesity-related cancer and tuberculosis. She also develops innovative multimodal screening platforms for in vivo gene function analysis. Scientific Awards: HHMI Hanna H. Gray Postdoctoral Fellowship Zuri actively promotes science communication, diversity in STEM, and education outreach. She previously studied intestinal immune adaptation to diet during her PhD at Yale under Ruslan Medzhitov. Collaborations with William Bishai and Ruslan Medzhitov feature prominently in her research portfolio.
Yiyin Erin Chen is the Robert A. Swanson Career Development Professor of Life Sciences at MIT's Department of Biology and a Core Faculty Member at the Broad Institute. She holds an MD from Harvard Medical School (2013) and a PhD in Biology from MIT (2011). Her research focuses on understanding how skin commensal microbes interact with the immune system to engineer novel therapies for cancer and immune disorders. Key areas include microbial immunomodulation, T cell activation, and live bacterial vaccines. Her lab develops genetically engineered skin bacteria to induce anti-tumor T cell responses, demonstrated in melanoma models. Notable achievements include harnessing Staphylococcus epidermidis for therapeutic antibody responses and revealing how Corynebacterium influences skin immunity. Awards include HHMI Hanna H. Gray Fellowship and A.P. Giannini Postdoctoral Fellowship. Advising 10+ graduate students and postdocs, her team collaborates on projects spanning microbiota-host communication, commensal community dynamics, and translational immunotherapies. The YEC Lab at the Broad Institute continues to pioneer engineered microbiota-based treatments.
Marcelo B. Sztein, MD is a tenured Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). Since 1989 he has been a key leader within the Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) , serving as Chief of the Cellular Immunology and Flow Cytometry Section, founder of the CVD Immunology Group, and—since 2010— Associate Director for Immunologic Research . He holds secondary appointments in the Departments of Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology and directs the CVD Flow & Mass Cytometry Core that supports campus-wide cutting-edge single-cell analysis. Education & Training High School #4, Nicolás Avellaneda, Argentina — B.S., Biology, 1970 University of Buenos Aires School of Medicine — M.D., 1976 National Research Council, Argentina — Fellow, Immunology, 1976–1979 National Institutes of Health — Visiting Fellow, 1979–1982 George Washington University Medical Center — Research Fellow, Cancer Research Laboratories, 1982–1983 Research Focus Dr. Sztein is an internationally recognized authority on the immunology of infectious diseases , with emphasis on mucosal and systemic immunity elicited by vaccines. His work deciphers human host responses to Salmonella Typhi/Paratyphi, Shigella , ETEC, Plasmodium falciparum , dengue virus, Ebola virus, H. pylori , and influenza. Using controlled human infection models, non-human primates, and novel organotypic intestinal models, his laboratory identifies correlates of protection, dissects multifunctional T-cell subsets (CD4⁺, CD8⁺, MAIT, regulatory T cells), and explores how the gut microbiome modulates vaccine-induced immunity. Current projects under the NIH-funded Cooperative Center for Human Immunology (CCHI) integrate multi-omics , single-cell mass cytometry (CyTOF) , and high-dimensional flow cytometry to accelerate rational vaccine design. Recent Publication Trends Between 2014 and 2016 Dr. Sztein’s group published >25 high-impact papers that collectively advance three major themes: (1) elucidating multifunctional T- and B-cell signatures associated with protection following typhoid and Shigella vaccination; (2) applying controlled human infection models to rigorously benchmark new vaccines; and (3) pioneering 3-D organotypic intestinal cultures and mass cytometry panels to study mucosal responses at single-cell resolution. These studies are shaping the next generation of enteric vaccines for global health. Grants & Funding Leadership Principal Investigator, NIH U19-AI082655 “Mucosal and Systemic Immunity, Vaccines and Microbiota Interplay in Humans” (2014–2019) Principal Investigator, NIH R01-AI036525 “Immune Mechanisms of Protection in S. Typhi Vaccines” (2013–2018) PI Research Project 1, NIH U19-AI109776 “Immunoprophylactic Strategies to Control Emerging Enteric Infections” (2014–2019) PI of Immunology Core, NIH U19-AI110820 “Host, Pathogen, and the Microbiome” (2014–2019) Senior Immunologist, VTEU Contract HHSN2722013000221 (2013–2023) Laboratory PI, HHSN27200012 & HHSN27200010 cytokine/immune-phenotyping service contracts Co-Director of Immunology, T32-AI07524 Training Grant (2013–2018) Laboratory & Core Facilities Dr. Sztein directs the CVD Flow and Mass Cytometry Core , housing state-of-the-art BD LSR-II, Beckman-Coulter Astrios EQ cell sorter, Fluidigm CyTOF 1, and CyTOF Helios instruments. The core supports up to 19-parameter cell sorting and 35-plus-parameter mass cytometry, enabling investigators across UMSOM and collaborating institutions to perform advanced single-cell multi-omics studies under BSL-2/3 containment.
Laia Gorchs is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Laboratory Medicine , Karolinska Institutet . She is a member of the Tissue Immunology – Research Group Helen Kaipe , focusing on tumor immunology and maternal-fetal immune interactions. Gorchs earned her PhD in 2022 from the same department. Research Interests Tumor immunology in pancreatic and lung cancers Role of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in immune suppression Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cell biology Placental immunity and chemokine-driven immune cell dynamics HLA editing in stem cell-derived tissues Immunomodulation via vitamin D analogs Publications Trends Investigates T cell exhaustion markers (CD39, CD103) in pancreatic cancer prognosis Studies CAF-mediated suppression in solid tumors Explores MAIT cell recruitment and function in placental/decidual tissues Develops HLA-deficient stem cell therapies for immune evasion Examines radiation effects on fibroblast immunosuppressive properties Labs & Teams Research Group Helen Kaipe, Karolinska Institutet Collaborations with Kaipe Lab on placental and tumor immunology Part of Tissue Immunology division
Professor Allison Abendroth is a faculty member at the University of Sydney, affiliated with the Central Clinical School and the Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology. She holds the academic rank of Professor and leads the VZV Research Laboratory, the only lab in Australia dedicated to studying Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) immunobiology and pathogenesis. Her research focuses on herpesvirus immune evasion mechanisms, particularly VZV and cytomegalovirus (CMV), with a focus on antigen presentation, neuronal infection, and host-pathogen interactions. Abendroth completed her B.Sc (Hons) and PhD at the University of Adelaide/IMVS as a Dawes Scholar, followed by postdoctoral work at Stanford University under Prof. Ann Arvin. She has held roles as Sesqui Lecturer in Immunology and Honours Coordinator, while teaching senior immunology courses. Her work spans viral modulation of MHC molecules, cytokine regulation, and immune cell dysfunction. Key research interests include VZV’s impact on MR1 antigen presentation, MAIT cell suppression, and mechanisms of herpesvirus-induced apoptosis inhibition. She has contributed to studies on CMV latency in stem cell transplant recipients and the role of cytokines in viral reactivation. Her team uses models of neuronal infection and human ganglia studies to understand VZV neuropathogenesis. Abendroth has secured grants from NHMRC and other bodies for projects on viral immune evasion, latency, and host responses. The VZV Research Lab develops models for studying herpesvirus infection in neurons and immune cells, aiming to identify therapeutic targets for VZV-related diseases like herpes zoster and post-herpetic neuralgia.
Rachel Golub is a Professor of Immunology at Université Paris Diderot (Paris 7) and heads the Lymphopoiesis Unit at the Institut Pasteur, INSERM U668, in Paris. Her research centres on innate lymphoid cell (ILC) biology, Notch signalling, and their implications in liver cancer, inflammation, and tissue regeneration. Education: PhD in Developmental Biology, Université Paris 6, 1997 HDR (Habilitation), Université Paris 7, 2007 Research Interests: Professor Golub investigates how innate lymphoid cells develop from fetal and adult progenitors, the molecular circuits controlled by the Notch pathway that balance ILC subsets, and how these pathways influence hepatocellular carcinoma progression and inflammatory diseases. Her team combines single-cell approaches, genetically modified models, and human tissue analysis to dissect microenvironmental cues shaping ILC fate. Publication Trends: Between 2020 and 2024 her work has appeared in leading journals such as Cell Reports , Immunity , EMBO Journal , Blood , and Frontiers in Immunology . The studies cluster around four main axes: (1) ILC differentiation and ontogeny, (2) Notch-mediated regulation of ILC and NK cells, (3) tumour-immune interactions in hepatocellular carcinoma, and (4) inflammatory modulation of lymphocyte development in metabolic and wound-healing contexts. Scientific Awards & Recognition: Prime d’Excellence Scientifique (PES) 2012-2016 PEDR Award 2007-2011 INSERM CSS7 third-rank distinction 2014 Fellowships from Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, MRC Canada, Ontario Cancer Institute, and French Ministry of Research Grants & Advising: She has served as coordinator or collaborator on >15 major grants (ANR, ARC, INCA, FACCTS, USPC, ABM, PTR), funding post-doctoral and doctoral students as well as collaborative international projects. She regularly sits on HDR and PhD juries, ANR panels, and foreign funding agencies (DFG). Labs & Teams: Her Lymphopoiesis Unit at Institut Pasteur hosts the “ILC Development and Inflammation” group, currently comprising PhD students, engineers, and technicians. The team is embedded within the wider Pasteur Immunology Department and benefits from institute-level platforms such as Single-Cell Biomarkers and advanced imaging core facilities.
Stuart Berzins is a Professor of Immunology at the Institute of Innovation, Science and Sustainability (IISS), Federation University Australia. He holds qualifications including a B.Sc. (1st Class Hons) and PhD from Monash University, and a GCUT from the University of Melbourne. His research focuses on human immunology, tumor immunity, autoimmunity, and T cell development/function. Berzins has contributed to over 14 peer-reviewed articles in prestigious journals such as Nature Reviews Immunology and Science Immunology , with particular emphasis on MAIT cells, unconventional T cell subsets, and their roles in cancer and autoimmune diseases. Professional affiliations include roles as Committee Member of the Immunology Group of Victoria, Melbourne Immunotherapy Network, and NHMRC Grant Review Panel. His work explores T cell ontogeny, immune signaling pathways, and translational applications in cancer immunotherapy. Notable projects include defining MAIT cell subsets using MR1 tetramers and elucidating the developmental pathways of γδ T cells. Recent research highlights include studies on tissue-resident lymphocyte retention mechanisms and the role of SATB1 in immunological aging. Berzins' collaborative efforts span institutions including the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and international partners, reflecting his leadership in advancing immunological research.
Jenny Gumperz is a Professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health. She leads an active research laboratory focused on human innate T lymphocytes, particularly invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells, Mucosal Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells, and γδ T cells, with the goal of developing novel cellular immunotherapies. Education: B.A., University of California at Santa Cruz (1986) Ph.D., Stanford University (1996) Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School (1996–1999) Her research explores how innate T cells contribute to immune regulation and inflammatory responses through autoreactivity to self-lipids, without requiring foreign antigens. This work has implications for treating cancer, viral infections, autoimmune diseases, and immunopathology. Her lab investigates these mechanisms in contexts such as graft-versus-host disease and Epstein-Barr virus infection, aiming to harness conserved activation pathways for off-the-shelf immunotherapies. Dr. Gumperz has received several prestigious awards, including: Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences (2005) The Medical Foundation Charles A. King Trust Fellowship (2001) Burroughs Wellcome Fellow of the Life Sciences Research Foundation (1996) She has mentored numerous postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research staff, fostering an inclusive and collaborative lab environment. Her vision emphasizes learning from both experimental data and diverse team perspectives to advance immunotherapeutic strategies. The lab is located in the Microbial Sciences Building at UW–Madison, with strong institutional support from the Graduate School and microbiology departments.
Dr. Chantal Donovan is a Senior Lecturer and Group Leader of the ImmunoPharmacology Research Group (IPRG) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). She holds academic positions in the School of Life Sciences and is affiliated with the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research and the University of Newcastle. Her research focuses on lung diseases such as asthma, COPD, asthma-COPD overlap (ACO), and lung cancer, employing mouse models to study environmental exposures, infections, fibrosis, and carcinogens. Her expertise includes molecular techniques like qPCR, RNAseq, and flow cytometry. Dr. Donovan has secured grants from the NHMRC and leads editorial roles in journals like BMC Pulmonary Medicine and Frontiers in Immunology . Education: PhD (Pharmacology) from University of Technology Sydney. Research Interests: Multidisciplinary approaches to lung disease pathogenesis, targeting novel therapeutic avenues, and understanding mechanisms of air pollution and sex hormone impacts. Recent work emphasizes particulate matter's role in lung cancer and HCK's role in COPD. Grants: Includes NHMRC grants for COPD and IPF research. Awards include NHMRC Early Career Fellowships (2017–2020). Advising & Labs: Supervises students in asthma, COPD, and lung cancer research. Leads the IPRG, focusing on immunopharmacology and translational research.
