Leonardo M. R. Ferreira, Ph.D.
ferreirl@musc.edu
My goal is to control how the immune system recognizes self and non-self. This knowledge will allow us to reestablish immune tolerance in autoimmunity and organ transplant rejection, as well as to enhance immunity in cancer and persistent infections. I have the broad expertise and motivation necessary to successfully carry out this work. I am an Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and, by courtesy, of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and the Hollings Cancer Center. As a graduate student at Harvard University with professors Jack Strominger and Chad Cowan, I studied human pregnancy as a model of immune tolerance and uncovered an enhancer element regulating the expression of the nonclassical tolerance-inducing molecule HLA-G. I was also the first to report the use of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in clinically relevant primary human cells – hematopoietic stem cells and CD4+ T cells – and generated hypoimmunogenic human pluripotent stem cells by combined CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockout and knock-in. As a postdoctoral scholar with professors Qizhi Tang and Jeffrey Bluestone at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), I created an anti-HLA-A2 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knock-in to replace the endogenous T cell receptor (TCR) gene with this CAR gene in primary human regulatory T cells (Tregs). The resulting CAR Tregs were suppressive specifically upon recognizing HLA-A2 in vitro and in humanized mice, and trafficked to transplanted HLA-A2+ human islets. My laboratory focuses on using engineered immune receptors to systematically study how specificity, affinity, and signaling modulate T cell function in autoimmunity and organ transplant rejection, as well as on using this knowledge to develop new cellular therapies.
Wei Jiang, M.D., M.S.
jianw@musc.edu
We conduct clinical/translational research using human samples (i.e., blood, saliva). Animals are used in verifying the findings from humans and for mechanistic studies.
Current funded main projects as PIs:
- Funding period 9/30/2023-7/31/2028. NIDA R01DA059538Title: Investigate Host Gene Isoforms Contributing to HIV Persistence in Cocaine Users.
- Funding period 3/1/2022-2/28/2026. VA Medical Center CSRD Merit I01CX002422.Title: Investigate the mechanism of autoreactive B cell-mediated immunological failure despite virologic suppression in HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy
- Funding period 9/30/2022-7/31/2027. NIDA R01DA055523.Title: Investigating the effect of oral microbiome on cognition in HIV-infected chronic cannabis users
Main interests:
- B cell dysfunction and autoantibodies in HIV (also in COVID-19 and SLE).
- Drug abuse (cannabis, cocaine), oral microbiome dysbiosis, and mental health linked to Alzheimer's disease.
- Microbiome, gut permeability, systemic microbial translocation, and chronic inflammatory condition in HIV (also in COVID-19 and SLE).
- Mechanisms of HIV-related immunopathogenesis (CD4 T cell decline, persistent inflammation, and complications)
Carsten Krieg, Ph.D.
kriegc@musc.edu
The Translational Immunologists in the Krieg Lab are interested in defining disease promoting biomarkers in cancer and autoimmunity. We use high dimensional single cell technologies such as mass-cytometry-CyTOF and transcriptomic profiling to identify novel biomarkers mainly in primary human patient specimen. Having identified these biomarkers will allow us to define better (immuno-)therapies for patients.
Christina Voelkel-Johnson, Ph.D.
johnsocv@musc.edu
