Department of Immunology
Idit Shachar, Head
Research topics of our Department span the wide range from basic mechanisms in the development, recognition, inter-cellular communication, trafficking, and effector functions of the immune system to the role of these processes in autoimmune disorders, allergies and cancer. Special attention is given to the studies of immunomodulation and immunotherapy of these diseases leading to the development of specific vaccines to viruses, parasites, cancer and autoimmune diseases. Specific projects include production of specific antibodies for targeting of drugs and effector lymphocytes; raising of catalytic antibodies; studies of the repertoire and specificity of the T-cell receptor in autoimmune models for multiple sclerosis, diabetes, arthritis, and myasthenia gravis; definition of antigen recognition and mode of action of killer lymphocytes in allograft and tumor rejection; understanding the developmental process of leukemias and treating them; use of cytokines for immunotherapy of metastases and immunomodulation of lymphocyte migration; immune cell adhesion and migration; the control of inflammatory processes; development of hematopoietic stem cells and T-cells activity during aging as well as understanding antigen recognition mechanisms by their receptors and its coupling to cellular response in mast cells as a model.
Deciphering the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control the establishment of central immune tolerance.
Understanding how breakdown of this process results in autoimmunity.
Chemokine activation of leukocyte integrins at endothelial contacts under shear stress.
Endothelial stores of chemokines and their function in leukocyte extravasation.
The role of talin1 and Kindlin-3 in integrin activation and lymphocyte adhesiveness to inflamed vessels under shear stress.
Role of lymph node chemokines in lymphocyte scanning of dendritic cells.
Effector lymphocyte trafficking to sites of inflammation.
The functions of endothelial and myeloid ICAM-1 in adaptive and innate immunity.
Mice models for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) .
Genomics and Systems Biology of the Immune System.
Decoding the mammalian transcriptional Regulatory Code in health and disease.
R. Arnon
Mechanism of action of Copolymer 1 (Copaxone®), a therapeutic vaccine against multiple sclerosis.
R. Arnon, M. SelaPathological mechanism in the CNS of various multiple sclerosis animal models.
Neuroprotection, neurogenesis and remyelination consequences of Glatiramer Acetate treatment in EAE.
A. Ben-Nun
Neuroimmunology, pathogenic autoimmunity, myelin/neuronal repair, and treatment of autoimmune diseases in central nervous system (CNS):
- T-cell pathogenesis and regulation in autoimmune diseases of the CNS.
- Effects of functional epistasis between HLA class-II alleles on genetic predisposition to multiple sclerosis (MS) in humanized HLA-Tg mice and MS patients.
- Defining major pathogenic MS-related myelin/neuronal epitopes in HLA-transgenic (Tg) mice.
- Antigen-based immune-specific approaches to therapy (and mechanisms) of MS and other T-cell mediated autoimmune diseases.
- Myelin/neuronal repair by adult neural stem cells in mice with chronic MS-like disease.
G. Berke
Cancer Immunity: a) Tetrameric MHC-peptide complexes in cancer detection and as cancer vaccines, b) Fas/Fas-L in tumor immunity c) Tumor escape mechanisms.
Immunological memory in cancer.
Apoptosis of the heart muscle.
Autoimmune T cells and tissue maintenance in the nervous system
I. Cohen, M. SchwartzAutoimmunity to hsp60 and the development of subunit vaccines against infectious diseases.
Regulation of immune inflammation by small carbohydrate molecules
I. Cohen, O. LiderAutoimmunity to p53 and the development of systemic lupus erythematosus
I. Cohen, V. RotterAutoimmune diabetes: Pathogenesis and immune therapy.
T cell receptor evolution for immunotherapy
Antigen presentation by engineered MHC molecules
L. Eisenbach, Dr Gideon Grosstumor escape and tolerance
cryoimmunotherapy
the role of small interferon induced genes in tumorigenicity and apoptosis
Cancer Stem Cells and immunotherapy
Autoimmunity and immunotherapy
L. Eisenbach, Dr Ilan Volovitz, Prof. Irun Cohen
Z. Eshhar
Redirecting effector T cells for adoptive cell treatment of cancer.
Redirecting regulatory T cells for adoptive cell therapy of autoimmune inflammation.
Study of colorectal induced tumors in colitis.
Development of universal vaccine for the control of allergic responses.
Studies of intercellular cytokine communication networks in T-cell development and differentiation.
Studies of CD4 T cell differentiation combining experimental single cell approaches and mathematical modeling.
Live cell imaging of T cell activation and differentiation using microfluidics devices.
Mapping T cell receptor repertoire using high-throughput sequencing (TCR-seq): developing methodologies and bioinformatic tools.
Applications of TCR-seq: Autoimmunity, Neuroimmunology, Vaccination.
N. Friedman, R. Arnon, M. Schwartz, B. Chain - UCL
S. Fuchs
The basis of D2 dopamine receptor diversity: Cloning, signal transduction, development, and correlation with disease.
The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor: Structure, function, and regulation of gene expression.
Myasthenia gravis: Regulatory mechanisms, epitopes, and immunodulation.
The role CX3C chemokine axis in intercellular communication.
Dendritic cell, Macrophage and Monocyte Contributions to the Maintenance of Intestinal Homeostasis and the Development of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
Molecular Cues guiding Mononuclear Phagocyte Differentiation focusing on the role of microRNAs.
Microglia Functions in Functional Brain Maintenance and Neurological Disorders.
Stem cell regulation via dynamic interactions of the nervous and immune systems with the microenvironment.
- The interplay between chemokines, cytokines, proteolytic enzymes adhesion molecules, osteoblasts and osteoclasts in regulation of the stem cell niche and blood formation.
- Mechanism of stress induced mobilization and recruitment of stem cells from the bone marrow into the circulation.
- Steady state homeostatic release and function of blood circulating stem cells.
- SDF-1 / CXCR4 axis as a major regulator of hematopoietic stem cells retention and egress.
- Bone remodeling and hematopoietic stem cell regulation by their niche.
- Hematopoietic stem cell regulation by the nervous system.
- Regulation of niche cells by cell contact.
E. Mozes
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): Mechanisms for the induction and development and approaches for disease immunomodulation.
T cell and cytokine dysregulation in autoimmune diseases.
T cell epitopes of the human acetylcholine receptor and their analogs in myasthenia gravis.
Autoimmunity in aging: The SLE experimental model.
Antigen recognition and trans-membrane signaling by immuno-receptors.
Electron transfer mechanisms in proteins.
Y. Reisner
Role and mechanism of tolerance induction by activated CD8 T cells: A novel cell therapy for chimerism induction, stem cell transplant engraftment and enhanced Graft versus Lymphoma / Leukemia effect.
Developing a protocol for the production of human central memory CD8 T cells, to induce tolerance in allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
Investigating the use of activated CD8 T cells as novel cell therapy for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Immature dendritic cells: investigating a novel granule mediated killing mechanism and the therapeutic potential for the prevention of Graft versus Host Disease.
Hematopoietic size control: A novel role for coagulation cascade factors in regulating the interplay between dynamic bone structure and long term survival and mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells.
Crossing allogeneic and xenogeneic barriers by growing organs in-vivo from embryonic tissues : potential curative approaches for diabetes, hemophilia and lung diseases.
M. Sela
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to ErbB-1 and ErbB-2 receptors and their role in potential anti-tumor strategy.
M. Sela, B. Schechter, Y. YardenSynergistic effects of combinations of mAb against distinct epitopes on EGFR/ErbB-1 and ErbB-2 receptors: accelerated receptor aggregation, down regulation and inhibition of tumor growth.
M. Sela, B. Schechter, Y. YardenEffective synergism by anti ErbB-2 mAb combinations comprising one mAb against the dimerization site of ErbB-2.
M. Sela, Y. YardenMechanism of action of Copolymer 1 (Copaxone), a therapeutic vaccine against multiple sclerosis.
M. Sela, R. ArnonSynergy of antibodies towards decreasing pancreatic cancer.
M. Sela, R. Maron, B. Schechter, Y. YardenTowards vaccination: Generation of peptide mimotopes specific for anti ErbB-2 monoclonal antibodies.
M. Sela, E. Witsch, Y. YardenAn aptamer strategy to target oncogenic signaling in ErbB2 carrying human tumors.
M. Sela, G. Mahlknecht , Y. Yarden G. MahlknechtDetermine the mechanisms regulating peripheral B cell maturation and survival in health and disease.
Follow the mechanisms controlling homing of immune cells in health and disease.
Analyze the pathway regulateing the survival cascades in Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
I. Shachar, Dr Michal Haran, Kaplan Medical centerDendritic cell behavior:
- The dynamics of antigen sampling, chemokinesis, lymphatic migration
- Antigen presentation by dendritic cells as revealed by intravital imaging