Nancy Ruddle, PhD

Professor Ruddle's research concentrates on cell trafficking and
inflammation, particularly with regard to the lymphotoxin/tumor
necrosis factor (LT/TNF) family. Her group studies these and other
cytokines in autoimmune and infectious diseases. They study autoimmune
diseases, the inflammatory stage of Type 1 diabetes mellitus, and
experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a model for multiple
sclerosis. Cytokines, autoantigens, or infectious organisms can give
rise to chronic cellular accumulations called "ectopic" or "tertiary
lymphoid organs," through a process termed lymphoid organ neogenesis.
Three “tertiary lymphoid organs” can contribute to diseases and even
serve as a site of prion accumulations. Dr. Ruddle’s group identified a
role for LT in normal lymphoid organ development. Their studies
demonstrate that the roles of the cytokines in lymphoid organ
development and inflammation are similar, in that in both contexts they
induce chemokines and vascular adhesion molecules. The functions of
lymph nodes and tertiary lymphoid organs may be comparable with regard
to antigen presentation, serving both helpful and harmful roles in
defense and autoimmunity.