Episodes

Guest: Dr. Kipp Weiskopf is a Valhalla Fellow at the Whitehead Institute. His research focuses on unlocking the therapeutic potential of macrophages for the benefit of cancer patients. He talks about the role of macrophages in the tumor environment and how targeting the CD47/SIRPα axis can induce phagocytosis of cancer cells. He also discusses starting spin-off companies to advance cancer therapies. Featured Products and Resources: Request your free copy of the ‘Human Immune Cytokines’ Wallch...

Guest: Dr. Adrian Erlebacher is a Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. His lab studies how the developmental properties of a tissue influence its ability to mount a successful immune response. He talks about immune tolerance in pregnancy and how the maternal–fetal interface affects pregnancy outcomes. Featured Products and Resources: Free wallchart: human immune cytokines. Generate fallopian tube organoids with GyneCult. The Immun...

Guest: Dr. Jeffrey Rathmell is the Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Immunobiology at the Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology. His research focuses on T cell metabolism in cancer. He talks about what T cells use for fuel and his work on fatty acid synthesis. He also discusses the ‘obesity paradox’ in cancer immunotherapy and his favorite parts of being a scientist and professor. Featured Products and Resources: The Immunology Podcast has been nominated for a People’s Choice Podcast Award! Dif...

Guest: Dr. Shana Kelley is the President of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago and the Neena B. Schwartz Professor of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University. The Kelley research group works in a variety of areas spanning bio analytical technology development and has pioneered new methods for tracking molecular and cellular analytes with unprecedented sensitivity. She talks about developing DNA-based reagentless biosensors and commercializing new technologies. Featured ...

Guest: Dr. Susan Kaech is a Professor and Director of the NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis at the Salk Institute. Her lab aims to understand how memory T cells are produced during infection and vaccination, how they function, and why they can fail to induce long-term immunity, particularly during chronic disease or cancer. In this episode, she talks about her research on T cell exhaustion and neuroimmunology, as well as her path from genetics to immunology. Featured Pro...

Guest: Dr. Priya Devarajan is an Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University. Her work focuses on immune memory and respiratory immunology. She talks about how aging affects the immune system and strategies to promote immune responses in the nose and lungs. She also discusses improving influenza vaccine responses and her experience interviewing for faculty positions. Featured Products and Resources: Keep current with the latest in pulmonary cell news. Grow Functional Airway Organoids with P...

Guest: Dr. Erika Moore is an Assistant Professor in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering at the University of Maryland, where her lab is committed to engineering biomaterial models that harness the regenerative potential of the immune system. She talks about building biomaterials, rejuvenating macrophages, and treating lupus. She also discusses using the right cells in research and promoting financial literacy to make science careers more accessible. Featured Products and Resources: Explo...

Guest: Dr. Kellen Cavagnero is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, San Diego. His PhD work focused on how fibroblasts — a cell type thought to be immunologically inert — contribute to chronic inflammatory conditions and defense against pathogens. He talks about staph infections, antimicrobial resistance, and the types and roles of fibroblasts. He also discusses his work in science communication, including his podcast, Inflammatory Content. Featured Products and Resources: R...

In May 2024, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2024, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists, in Chicago. We spoke with delegates about their research and impressions of the meeting, including their reasons for attending and the most memorable research presented. Featured Products and Resources: Prepare for your next conference. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guests: Dr. Jo Viney is the CEO, President, & Co-Founder and Dr. Ryan Peckner is the Director of Machine Learning & Computational Biology at Seismic Therapeutic. In this special episode recorded in front of a live audience at IMMUNOLOGY2024 in Chicago, they discuss artificial intelligence and its applications in drug discovery and protein engineering. They talk about its limitations, its role in clinical trials, and how scientists can leverage these tools to advance their careers. Featured Pro...

In May 2024, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2024, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Chicago, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the final of five special episodes from the meeting, where Brenda and Jason talk about sessions including the dysfunction of exhaustive T cells enforced by MCT11-mediated lactate metabolism and extrafollicular differentiated B cells, presented by former podcast guest Dr. Frances Lund. Featured Pro...

In May 2024, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2024, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Chicago, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the fourth of five special episodes from the meeting, where Brenda and Jason highlight discussions on tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy, chaired by former podcast guest Dr. Kristin Anderson, as well as fueling T cell fate decision during infection with an initial focus on immunometabolism. Fea...

In May 2024, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2024, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Chicago, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the third of five special episodes from the meeting. Brenda and Jason spotlight discussions on cellular responses of microbial and parasitic infection and the immunology of pregnancy with a focus on glycan regulation of fetomaternal tolerance. Featured Products and Resources: Explore free immunol...

In May 2024, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2024, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Chicago, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the second of five special episodes from the meeting. Brenda and Jason discuss highlights from sessions including microbial and environmental influences on the gut and recent breakthroughs in emerging therapeutic strategies for chronic inflammatory and fibrotic diseases. Featured Products and Reso...

In May 2024, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2024, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Chicago, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the first of five special episodes from the meeting, in which Jason and Brenda highlight sessions on innate and innate-like cells and transplant immunology. Discussions include the role of hypothermia in protecting ventilator-induced lung damage and Siglec-E knockout in transplant rejection. Featu...

Guest: Dr. Caleb Lareau is an Assistant Professor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. His lab aims to understand how cells in our bodies adapt, expand, and evolve during the course of our lives, particularly in the immune system. He talks about cross-training in bioinformatics and immunology, and herpesvirus reactivation in CAR T cells. Featured Products and Resources: Check out the program for IMMUNOLOGY2024, happening May 3-7 in Chicago! Attend a live show on artificial intelligence i...

Guest: Dr. Mitchell Kronenberg is a Professor and President Emeritus at La Jolla Institute for Immunology. His lab studies how innate-like T cells adapt to different tissue environments. He talks about his work on MAIT cells and mucosal immunology, as well as his time leading the Institute. Featured Products and Resources: Check out the program for IMMUNOLOGY2024, taking place May 3-7 in Chicago! Get updates about new mentorship content from Lab Coats & Life. The Immunology Science Round Up ...

Guest: Dr. Scott Canna is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Rheumatology), and Attending Physician, Pediatric Rheumatology and Immune Dysregulation at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. His group studies the mechanisms of immune dysregulation. He talks about auto- and hyperinflammatory diseases and the role of IL-18. He also discusses hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and adapting therapies for children. Featured Products and Resources: Check out the program for IMMUNOLOGY2024! Lis...

Guest: Dr. Neelika Malavige is the Head of Dengue Global Program and Scientific Affairs at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative and a Professor in the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Her research focuses on dengue: its pathogenesis, vascular leak, immune correlates of protection, and biomarkers. She talks about the disease burden of dengue and her investigations into risk factors for severe disease. She also discusses her research...

Guest: Dr. James Allison is the Regental Professor and Chair of the Department of Immunology, Olga Keith Wiess Distinguished University Chair for Cancer Research, Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Research, Executive Director of the Immunotherapy Platform, and Director of the James P. Allison Institute at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Allison has spent a distinguished career studying the regulation of T cell responses and developing strategies for cancer immunotherapy. He earned the...

Guests: Dr. Akiko Iwasaki is the Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale University and President of the American Association of Immunologists. Francisco Gomez-Rivera is an Immunology Program Graduate Student Candidate at the University of Michigan, and Dr. Jason (Swinburne) Augustine is a retired Research Microbiologist/Immunologist at the US Environmental Protection Agency. They talk about the upcoming IMMUNOLOGY2024 meeting in Chicago, I...

Guest: Dr. Dionna Williams is an Acting Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology at Emory University. Their research focuses on the effects of HIV infection on the brain. She talks about how HIV affects immune cells in the brain and how this can lead to neuropsychiatric symptoms. They also discuss therapeutic approaches, factors that affect how drugs can reach the brain, and moving their lab to Atlanta. Featured Products and Resources: Sign up now for IMMUNOLOG...

Guests: Dr. Akiko Iwasaki is the Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale University and President of the American Association of Immunologists (AAI), and Dr. Aimee Bernard is an Assistant Professor of Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Colorado. Dr. Iwasaki has a very active presence on X, where she shares about COVID-19 research. Dr. Bernard is also active on social media through her TikTok account, and co-hosts a podcast, He...

In 2023, we attended the 18th International Congress of Immunology, hosted by the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS), in Cape Town, South Africa. We spoke with delegates about their research and impressions of the meeting, including their reasons for attending and the most memorable research presented. They discuss their experiences in South Africa, the meeting’s focus on infectious diseases and equitable science, and sessions by Nobel laureates. Featured Products and Resourc...