Insights in Immunology

Tullia C. Bruno
Professor,Department of Immunology,University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA

Biography

Education Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN Bachelor of Science, Chemistry, Cum Laude Graduation: May 2005 Johns Hopkins SOM, Baltimore, MD Doctor of Philosophy, Immunology Mentor: Dr. Charles Drake, Thesis Title: Immune checkpoints in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes Graduation: May 2010 Project description: During my graduate training, I used both mouse and human models of prostate cancer to understand the role of immune checkpoint molecules on CD4 and CD8 tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), in particular PD-1 and LAG-3. We found that CD8 TILs were nonfunctional and that immune function could be restored in the cells with the addition of ?PD-1 therapy. These studies contributed to the advancement of this immunotherapy into clinical trial and the treatment is now FDA approved. It was during my graduate training that I learned to utilize small numbers of lymphocytes for in vitro functional studies of TILs from human primary tumors.

Research Interest

Aplastic Anemia