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immunologyau.bsky.social
@immunologyau.bsky.social
New Publication Alert - Science Immunology!

Martina Zoccheddu's study on exTh17 cells in autoimmune arthritis uncovers how these immune cells drive arthritis progression, offering new insights for future therapies.

bit.ly/3WO6Iw4
TH17 cells converted into exTH17 cells sustain rheumatoid-like IL-17–independent inflammatory arthritis
ExTH17 cells drive IL-17–independent chronic SKG arthritis in mice through up-regulation of CD44 and S1PR4 and cross-talk with FLS.
bit.ly
November 10, 2025 at 9:32 PM
New Publication Alert - EMBO Molecular Medicine!

Research from Dr. Smriti Parashar of the Ley Lab shows how mitochondrial dysfunction triggered by Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress can make regulatory T cells (Tregs) unstable and to cause then to lose their protective function

bit.ly/4nDnhWm
ER stress induced mitochondrial dysfunction drives Treg instability in coronary artery disease | EMBO Molecular Medicine
imageimageMitochondrial dysfunction triggered by ER stress was found to make Tregs unstable and to cause them to lose their protective function. Unresolved ER stress was observed in human exTregs. ...
bit.ly
November 4, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Checking in from Vancouver, B.C. at Society for Leukocyte Biology 2025! Be sure to visit Casey at our booth in Stanley Hall!
October 31, 2025 at 2:51 PM
We're building something big! Learn how @immunologyau.bsky.social is uncovering how T Cells function, fail, and evolve across diseases like cancer and atherosclerosis.

jagwire.augusta.edu/au-scientist...
AU scientists advance understanding of Nobel-winning immunology research
"These discoveries place Augusta University and the Immunology Center of Georgia at the forefront of modern immunology," says Klaus Ley, MD.
jagwire.augusta.edu
October 30, 2025 at 7:22 PM
What do the trainees have to say about our co-director, Dr. Klaus Ley? Find out in this video! Dr. Ley was just awarded Vascular Biology's Stephen M. Schwartz Award for Outstanding Mentorship!

youtube.com/watch?v=tCkY9-oR7yg&feature=youtu.be
2025 NAVBO Stephen Schwartz Award for Outstanding Mentorship - Klaus Ley
YouTube video by Lefort Lab
youtube.com
October 23, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Congrats to Drs. Gang Zhou and Ogacheko Okoko on receiving the first grant through our new Ignite program! We are proud to partner with the Georgia Research Alliance to advance bold, translational ideas. Read about the project, which looks at improving cancer immunotherapy:
bit.ly/4hkCUR5
IMMCG’s first Ignite grant aims to fuel more effective cancer immunotherapy
“This award is exactly what we envisioned when we launched Ignite, with trainees and faculty working side by side on transformative science,” says Klaus Ley, MD.
jagwire.augusta.edu
October 20, 2025 at 8:15 PM
IMMCG’s Dr. Klaus Ley and MCG's Surgery Chair Dr. William Jordan discuss carotid endarterectomy, stroke prevention, and how immune research could one day make this surgery unnecessary.

🎥 Watch now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnSj...
Carotid endarterectomy research
YouTube video by Medical College of Georgia
www.youtube.com
October 16, 2025 at 3:44 PM
New study shows “unconventional” γδ T cells may hold the key to better outcomes in endometrial cancer. These immune cells could guide new immunotherapy strategies for a disease with rising rates. link.springer.com/article/10.1... #CancerResearch #Immunotherapy
The protective role of γδ T cells in endometrial cancer - Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy
Γδ T cells are non-conventional T cells that are not MHC restricted and have T cell receptors (TCRs) that are stimulated by phosphoantigens, stress-induced proteins, lipids, and other antigens. These cells are prognostic across cancer types in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) but have not been well studied in endometrial cancer, which has a rising incidence and mortality rate. Endometrial cancer patients have variable responses to checkpoint inhibitors which are related to the molecular subtype of their cancer. As such, there is a pressing need to understand the immune microenvironment in endometrial cancer. This study addresses this gap in knowledge by investigating γδ T cell repertoires and transcriptomes in this disease site. γδ T cell repertoires were obtained for 543 endometrial cancer patients within the TCGA and from 5 endometrial cancer patients in the single cell dataset SRP349751 using TRUST4. GLIPH2 was used to identify TCRs predicted to bind the same antigen. Transcriptomes were investigated in the single cell dataset. DNA Polymerase Epsilon Exonuclease (POLE) and Microsatellite Instability High (MSI-H) endometrial cancer subtypes had the most γδ T cell infiltration. Vδ1 and Vδ3 γδ T cell infiltration was prognostic independent of stage and molecular subtype. GLIPH2 analysis revealed TCRδ motifs for TDK, YTD, and GEL were public across all four molecular subtypes and were present in the single cell data set. Vδ1 γδ T cell transcriptomes were associated with cytotoxicity and recent TCR stimulation. These data support further investigation of immunotherapies targeting γδ T cells in endometrial cancer.
link.springer.com
October 3, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Who knew science could make such a splash? IMMCG co-director Klaus Ley took 22 dunks at #Paceline Palooza — all for cancer research at the Georgia Cancer Center.

There's time to join Team Immunity Strong for #PaceDay on Oct. 5! 🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ paceline.org/teams/5312
September 24, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Happy #NPAW2025! 🎉 Huge thanks to our amazing postdocs at IMMCG, whose hard work & discoveries push immunology forward every day. We appreciate you!💡
September 15, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Team Immunity Strong is more than halfway to its $5,000 Paceline fundraising goal to support cancer research! Purchase some IMMCG merch to help us out! www.bonfire.com/immunity-str...
Immunity Strong Paceline fundraiser | Bonfire
Paceline raises funds for innovative cancer research at the Georgia Cancer Center. . Donate directly to the Immunity Strong Paceline team here.
www.bonfire.com
September 11, 2025 at 7:04 PM
From fewer than 20 at our first potluck to 90+ at this year’s anniversary ice cream social 🎉 IMMCG has grown so much in 3 years — in people, programs, and community.

We’re proud of what we’ve built together & excited for what’s ahead! #ImmunityStrong #Anniversary
September 3, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Order your IMMCG apparel to help our Pacline team Immunity Strong raise funds for cancer research at the Georgia Cancer Center!

www.bonfire.com/immunity-str...
Immunity Strong Paceline fundraiser | Bonfire
Paceline raises funds for innovative cancer research at the Georgia Cancer Center. . Donate directly to the Immunity Strong Paceline team here.
www.bonfire.com
August 19, 2025 at 2:47 PM
IMMCG graduate student Elayne Benson is advancing melanoma research with a Paceline grant. The Immunity Strong team is participating in #PaceDay 2025 to fuel more discoveries like hers! Please join us or donate today! bit.ly/3HuVybq #CancerResearch
Paceline funding critical for IMMCG student's cancer research
“I want to work toward more effective ways of treating and screening cancer, specifically, in my case, melanoma," says Elayne Benson.
bit.ly
August 18, 2025 at 6:31 PM
We're proud of our grad students Khalia Cummings and Megh Mehta, who received NIH awards to probe the immune system’s role in heart and metabolic disease. Go Jags! #AugustaUniversity bit.ly/40VQLX6
What causes heart disease? AU grad students investigate with NIH award
Two graduate students from the Immunology Center of Georgia will use NIH awards to explore the immunological drivers behind cardiometabolic disease.
bit.ly
August 11, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Our IMMCG Paceline team is growing! Will you join us to walk, run, ride, or donate to benefit the Georgia Cancer Center?

paceline.org/teams/5312
Join me in raising money for cancer research!
Please help me support PaceDay 2025! 100% of every dollar raised goes to innovative cancer research at the Georgia Cancer Center. Donate, register to ride, or invite others to support the fight agains...
paceline.org
August 5, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Noise in single-cell data can dilute discoveries. IMMCG researcher Dr. Mohammad Oliaeimotlagh developed ThresholdR to sharpen the signal. Read more: bit.ly/44WSSLf #LeyLab_AU
IMMCG researchers develop tool to sharpen accuracy of personalized medicine
“A patient’s immune system is unique. With clearer markers, we can better understand how to tailor therapies to each person’s condition," says Mohammad Oliaeimotlagh, MD.
bit.ly
July 23, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Support our Immunology Strong team for Paceline 2025! 🚴‍♂️🏃‍♀️

Whether you participate, volunteer or donate, every dollar helps fund local research at the Georgia Cancer Center.

Sign up or donate today: paceline.org/teams/5312

#ImmunologyStrong #Paceline2025 #CancerResearch
Join me in raising money for cancer research!
Please help me support PaceDay 2025! 100% of every dollar raised goes to innovative cancer research at the Georgia Cancer Center. Donate, register to ride, or invite others to support the fight agains...
paceline.org
July 21, 2025 at 7:28 PM
More than 3 million Americans live with IBD, including Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. IMMCG researchers & @wellstarcollege.bsky.social clinicians are tackling its autoimmune roots to improve care. Watch our latest video created by AU's Pamplin College students: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j686...
Studying IBD causes and treatments at the Immunology Center of Georgia
YouTube video by Medical College of Georgia
www.youtube.com
July 10, 2025 at 5:53 PM
IMMCG graduate student Layne Benson received a Paceline Research Grant for the project, “Decoding the role of Olfactory Receptor 2 in myeloid cell function and tumor immunomodulation.” We’re so proud of this team’s accomplishments! 👏 #CancerResearch #Immunology
June 30, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Reposted
Please share! Recently finished your PhD or plan to in 2025, and love immunology or vascular biology? We're recruiting a #postdoc @immunologyau.bsky.social
Join our team!
More info here: rb.gy/howgk4
June 27, 2025 at 5:24 AM
June 24, 2025 at 4:31 PM
New research from IMMCG alum Dr. Payel Roy reveals how immune cells change during heart disease and how blood tests could one day track that shift. 🧪❤️

Read more about her @nature.com Cardiovascular Research publication: bit.ly/3GfnFup

#Immunology #CardioResearch #LeyLab_AU
IMMCG research suggests new path for cardiovascular diagnostics
New research from the Immunology Center of Georgia is changing how scientists view the autoimmune side of heart disease.
bit.ly
June 23, 2025 at 8:23 PM
👏 Congratulations to @lynnhedrickau.bsky.social, who received the 2025 Outstanding Leadership Award at the Georgia Cancer Center Research Retreat! We already know what an incredible leader she is — now the whole campus does, too. #Leadership #CancerResearch #IMMCG 💙
June 18, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Our entire team is proud of our Southeastern Immunology Symposium award winners! Thanks to UVA and @uvaimmunology.bsky.social for hosting a great event! #SIS2025

Khalia Cummings: Oral Presentation Award

Ishita Tandon, PhD: Poster Award

Bowen Hou: People's Choice Award
June 11, 2025 at 8:46 PM