Roy Lab

Our focus is understanding the B cell dysfunction in inflammatory neuropathies, including acute and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies (AIDP and CIDP) and autoimmune nodopathies (AINs). We are combining bioinformatics and molecular biology to address some fundamental questions on disease pathomechanism and identify the key drivers underlying B cell dysfunction. This is a translational laboratory with our biorepository and national and international collaborations. The lab leverages well-curated human blood and tissue samples that are linked with clinical and demographic data, along with diagnostic studies. The lab’s goal is to identify new therapeutic targets for these diseases and improve patient care.

We are also interested in studying inclusion body myositis (IBM), a type of idiopathic inflammatory myositis that does not have any treatment. Plasma cells are often noted in muscle biopsies of IBM patients, but their function in disease pathogenesis is unknown. We are using deep immunophenotyping to understand the impact of plasma cells in IBM.