The Immunology Podcast

Dr. Mansour Haeryfar, a professor studying mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, discusses MR1-restricted MAIT biology and antigen recognition. He explores MAIT activation by cytokines and viral infection. Conversation covers MAIT roles in tissue repair, fibrosis, cancer, and prospects for off-the-shelf MR1-based immunotherapies.

Dr. Daniel Peeper, a leader in functional oncogenomics at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, uses genome-wide functional screens to find ways to overcome tumor heterogeneity and therapy resistance. He discusses melanoma resistance to BRAF inhibitors, decoding tumor–immune communication, screens that reveal interferon-gamma and TNF pathway roles, and strategies for genetically enhancing T cells and rational combination therapies.

Dr. Ido Amit, a Weizmann Institute leader in single-cell genomics, describes the rise of single-cell approaches and why immunology is ideal for them. He discusses discovering disease-associated cell subsets, mapping cellular continua and trajectories, and why sampling many cells often beats ultra-deep reads. He also covers experiment design, in vivo perturbations, and targeted delivery to tissues.

Dr. Sharon Lewin, director at the Peter Doherty Institute and HIV researcher, discusses viral latency and where HIV hides in the body. She covers measuring low-level HIV transcription and the anatomical reservoirs that persist on therapy. Strategies reviewed include latency-reversal, targeting survival pathways, immunotherapies like broadly neutralizing antibodies, and lessons from transplant cures.

Dr. Rafi Ahmed, Emory vaccine center director known for foundational work on T-cell memory and PD-1 biology. He discusses how memory T and B cells persist, long-lived plasma cell niches, T-cell exhaustion in chronic infection, and how PD-1 blockade can reinvigorate immunity. Short stories about classic experiments and why vaccines protect against severe disease round out the conversation.

Guests: Dr. Ulrich von Andrian is the Mallinckrodt Professor of Immunopathology at Harvard Medical School and President of the American Association of Immunologists (AAI). Dr. Shekhar Pasare is Professor and Director of the Division of Immunobiology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He is also the Program Committee Chair for the AAI’s annual meetings. They discuss the upcoming IMMUNOLOGY2026 meeting taking place April 15-19 in Boston. They cover highlights of the program including the Presidential Symposium, special sessions, and opportunities for trainees. (42:30) Featured Products and Resources: Submit a late-breaking abstract for IMMUNOLOGY2026! Wallchart: T Cell Nomenclature: From Subsets to Modules The Immunology Science Round Up Psoriatic Arthritis –  A two-step process involving skin-derived myeloid precursors and joint-resident fibroblasts orchestrates the spread of inflammation from the skin to the joints. (6:15) Chemotherapy and Cardiac-Resident Macrophages – DNA-damaging chemotherapy can reshape cardiac macrophage ontogeny. (13:50) Dendritic Cell Cross-Presentation – Neoantigen cross-presentation by Type 1 conventional dendritic cells can determine the immune visibility of the tumor mutational landscape. (26:00) T Cell Cross-Reactivity – Co-receptor switching generates super selective T cells that reduce the risk of lethal off-target cross-reactivity. (32:20) Images courtesy of Drs. Ulrich von Andrian and Shekhar Pasare Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Dr. Jayne Danska is a Senior Scientist focused on the microbiome and type 1 diabetes. She discusses the rising incidence of autoimmune diseases and the gut microbiome's vital role. Jayne elaborates on designing human studies with pregnant mothers and highlights findings from child-derived mouse models. She emphasizes geography and diversity in research, exploring the challenges of developing microbial therapeutics. Finally, she shares her passion for artisanal cheesemaking and its connection to microbiology.

Dr. Ana Anderson, a leading immunology researcher at Harvard, joins to discuss her groundbreaking work on T-cell regulation in cancer. She highlights the promise of checkpoint inhibitors like PD-1 and CTLA-4, while addressing the need to remodel the tumor microenvironment for better outcomes. Anderson emphasizes the importance of targeting myeloid cells and the advancements in adoptive cell therapies. She also shares insights from her research on TCF1's role in T-cell function and the exciting future directions in immunotherapy. Plus, she reveals her personal passion for rowing!

Dr. George Robinson, a Principal Research Fellow at University College London, dives into juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus and its complexities. He discusses current diagnostic tests and innovative treatments, including CAR T-cell therapy. The conversation explores sex differences in autoimmunity, considering how hormones and genetics impact the disease. Robinson also highlights his lab's work on longitudinal biobanking and the potential for lifestyle changes to influence remission. His insights into the ongoing research landscape bring a hopeful perspective to lupus treatment.

Dr. Camila Coelho, a Principal Investigator at the Icahn School of Medicine, dives into her lab's work on emerging pathogens like mpox. She discusses the complexities of orthopox vaccines, including the safety versus efficacy trade-offs of various smallpox vaccines. Camila shares insights on antibody discovery, emphasizing the evolution of methods to map neutralizing epitopes. Moreover, she highlights her commitment to mentorship in science and how her MBA helps enhance her lab leadership and team dynamics.