Welcome to the O'Connor Lab

The O'Connor Laboratory is part of the Department of Neurology and Department of Immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine. The major research interests of the lab include human neuroimmunology and autoimmunity. Our research is principally translational, highlighting a close collaboration with clinicians and integration with clinical trials. The intention of our work is to further elucidate the role that the immune system plays in autoimmune and neurological diseases. We are specifically interested in defining the mechanisms by which B cells - and the autoantibodies they produce - participate in disease pathology, how they damage tissue, and organize at sites of such injury. To this end, we have developed innovative assays, fostered clinical collaborations, and built biorepositories to underpin and enable cutting-edge research into the causes and treatment of autoimmune and neurological diseases. Areas of special interest to the group include myasthenia gravis (MG), neuromyelitis optica, multiple sclerosis, myositis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).