Autoimmunity: research on many fronts

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

IBD is a group of inflammatory conditions of the colon and small intestine that includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

• Clara Abraham, M.D. Assistant professor of medicine
• Judy H. Cho, M.D. Associate professor of medicine and genetics
• Richard A. Flavell, Ph.D. Chair and Sterling Professor of Immunobiology
• Ruslan M. Medzhitov, Ph.D. Professor of immunobiology

Lupus (SLE)

In this chronic disease, formally known as systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, the immune system attacks the skin, joints, blood, and kidneys.

• Joseph E. Craft, M.D. Professor of medicine and immunology
• Tarek Fahmy, Ph.D. Associate professor of biomedical engineering and chemical engineering
• Insoo Kang, M.D. Associate professor of medicine
• Mark J. Mamula, Ph.D. Professor of medicine
• Eric Meffre, Ph.D. Associate professor of immunobiology
• Mark J. Shlomchik, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of laboratory medicine and immunobiology

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

In MS, T cells (and probably also B cells) damage and scar the fatty myelin sheaths that insulate axons in the brain and spinal cord.

• David A. Hafler, M.D. Chair of Neurology and Gilbert H. Glaser Professor
• Nancy H. Ruddle, Ph.D. John Rodman Paul Professor of Epidemiology and professor of immunobiology
• Stephen G. Waxman, M.D., Ph.D. Bridget Marie Flaherty Professor of Neurology, Neurobiology, and Pharmacology
• Jeffery D. Kocsis, Ph.D. Professor of neurology and neurobiology

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

RA is a chronic autoimmune disorder that involves many tissues and organs—especially the joints, where inflammation leads to pain, stiffness, and the destruction of cartilage.

• Eric Meffre, Ph.D. Associate professor of immunobiology

Sjögren's syndrome

In Sjögren's syndrome, immune cells attack the glands that produce saliva and tears. Scientists believe that "misbehaving" B and T cells may be a cause.

• Insoo Kang, M.D. Associate professor of medicine
• Eric Meffre, Ph.D. Associate professor of immunobiology
• Nancy H. Ruddle, Ph.D. John Rodman Paul Professor of Epidemiology and professor of immunobiology

Type 1 diabetes

In Type 1 diabetes, T cells destroy insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Some scientists implicate an autoimmune response meant to target virus-infected cells.

• Alfred L.M. Bothwell, Ph.D. Professor of immunobiology
• Elizabeth E. Eynon, Ph.D. Research scientist in immunobiology
• Richard A. Flavell, Ph.D. Chair and Sterling Professor of Immunobiology
• David A. Hafler, M.D. Chair of Neurology and Gilbert H. Glaser Professor
• Kevan Herold, M.D. Professor of immunobiology and medicine
• Mark J. Mamula, Ph.D., M.S. Professor of medicine
• Eric Meffre, Ph.D. Associate professor of immunobiology
• Nancy H. Ruddle, Ph.D. John Rodman Paul Professor of Epidemiology and professor of immunobiology
• Robert S. Sherwin, M.D. C.N.H. Long Professor of Medicine
• Li Wen, M.D., Ph.D. Senior research scientist in medicine