Clinical Immunology Research Program

Meet the scientists in this program

Current Research Projects

Information for Study Participants

The Clinical Immunology Research Program, headed by Judith A James, MD, PhD, focuses on understanding the etiology and pathogenesis of human autoimmune and infectious diseases. Autoimmune diseases under investigation include systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. The human immune response to select infectious agents, such as influenza virus, pneumococcus and Bacillus anthracis, are also studied by our scientists.

Our scientists confront the study of these diseases by using multidisciplinary approaches that combine techniques from immunology, molecular biology, immunogenetics, biochemistry, and protein chemistry. Understanding the early events in the development of humoral autoimmunity, elucidating mechanisms to maintain tolerance, and identifying environmental triggers of disease are key areas of investigation that will help identify potential targets for therapeutic interventions to delay disease progression as well as develop more specific diagnostic tests to help identify earlier patients with autoimmune diseases and potentially halt progression of their disease.