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Pitt Department of Immunology
@pitt-immunology.bsky.social
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Discovering immune mechanisms to combat disease, enhance vaccines, and control autoimmunity | Training the next generation of immunologists | immunology.pitt.edu/

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Pitt Department of Immunology @pitt-immunology.bsky.social · Oct 20
🚨 Faculty position alert! 🚨The Center for Systems Immunology (CSI) and @pitt-immunology.bsky.social are seeking to appoint a tenure-stream Assistant Professor. Learn more and apply: bit.ly/3L42cGS
Graphic announcing that the Center for Systems Immunology and the University of Pittsburgh Department of Immunology are hiring an Assistant Professor in Systems Immunology. To learn more or apply, visit join.pitt.edu and search 24007498 under Faculty Positions
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
On the latest Outperform Cancer podcast, @overacrelab.bsky.social chats about her new research that shows how the artificial sweetener #sucralose weakens #immunotherapy effectiveness by disrupting the #microbiome www.outperformcancer.com/podcast/dr-a...
Dr. Abby Overacre — A Warning for Cancer Patients: Sucralose May Block Immunotherapy — OutperformCancer.com
Artificial sweeteners may do more harm than good. A Cancer Discovery study from the University of Pittsburgh shows that sucralose consumption reduces immunotherapy efficacy by altering gut bacteri...
www.outperformcancer.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:36 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
For #FluorescenceFriday, we’re highlighting Dr. Doug Reed's research on lung immune responses to #H5N1 #influenza. Green BODIPY dye staining shows that lipid droplets, which indicate strong anti-viral inflammatory immune responses, appear to be confined to the blood vessel. (1/2)
Fluorescent image of lung tissue. Green BODIPY dye staining shows that lipid droplets, which indicate strong anti-viral inflammatory immune responses, appear to be confined to the blood vessel.
November 14, 2025 at 3:25 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
Congratulations to @vignalilab.bsky.social, @delgoffelab.bsky.social, Sally Wenzel and Simon Watkins for making the #Clarivate #HighlyCited2025 list, recognizing their broad and significant influence in their fields! clarivate.com/highly-cited...
Graphic with headshots of Greg Delgoffe, Dario Vignali, Simon Watkins and Sally Wenzel announcing that they are on the 2025 Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers list.
November 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Reposted by Pitt Department of Immunology
jci.org
Behind the Scenes: Dr. Mark Shlomchik and Dr. Sebastien Gingras of @pitt-immunology.bsky.social discuss data that led to the discovery that divergent signaling domains in TLR7 and TLR9 control their opposing effects on lupus.
November 11, 2025 at 2:02 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
A new tool developed by Pitt and @cincychildrens.bsky.social researchers unifies the "old" and "new" worlds of #immunology to map how stem cells become blood and immune cells, also creating an important resource for the immunology community. Learn more: www.immunology.pitt.edu/news/unifyin...
Harinder Singh, professor of immunology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, sits in his office with a bookcase behind him.
November 6, 2025 at 8:30 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
New in Nature Reviews Chemistry: Jason Lohmueller and colleagues review small-molecule control systems for #CARTCells — addressing toxicity & resistance challenges in #cancer #immunotherapy

Read the article: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Small-molecule control of CAR T cells - Nature Reviews Chemistry
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are a promising and effective cancer therapy but are difficult to regulate once implanted. This Review covers an emerging wave of small-molecule-based systems d...
www.nature.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:38 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
Mark Shlomchik and and his team have solved a 20-year #lupus mystery! In a new @jci.org paper, they show that TLR7 & TLR9 receptors signal differently, overturning textbook assumptions & explaining their opposite effects on #autoimmune disease. lnkd.in/extqYBYR
Eight microscopy images of B cell endosomes, which appear as colorful spheres, showing that chimeric TLR receptors made of TLR7 recognition elements with TLR9 signaling domains are localized in endosomes.
November 4, 2025 at 3:11 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
Could understanding why good T helper 17 (Th17) cells go bad offer clues for treating #multiplesclerosis? New research from Dr. William Hawse's lab sheds light on the processes by which Th17 cells become pathogenic in a mouse model of MS.

Read more: lnkd.in/eXntvb-F
Members of the Hawse Lab and authors on the study stand outside the lab. From left to right: Achyudhan Katuva, Richard Cattley, Andreza Buzolin Sonego, Elana Im and Douglas Prado.
October 30, 2025 at 12:12 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
Do you know an undergrad at Pitt, Chatham University, or @cmu.edu who hasn't had opportunities for hands-on research? Please encourage them to apply for the Microbiology and Immunology Departments (MID) Scholars Program! Learn more and apply: lnkd.in/eT-gYTqR
Three former MIDS scholars stand in a group along with Drs. Olivera Finn and Partha Biswas.
October 29, 2025 at 12:22 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
How did #TyphoidMary infect dozens of people with typhoid-causing Salmonella bacteria while remaining asymptomatic? New research in mice led by Dr. Blanda Di Luccia suggests that #Tregs play a role.

Learn more: tinyurl.com/28k78fw9
Immunofluorescence image of colonic tissue from a mouse Salmonella superspreader. When regulatory T cells are depleted, mice exhibit gastroenteritis symptoms and there is an increase in tissue-damaging cytotoxic CD4+ T cells, shown in yellow and highlighted by arrows.
October 28, 2025 at 12:27 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
A very warm welcome to Dr. Blanda Di Luccia, who joined the department this month as a Research Assistant Professor! Her research focuses on understanding host-microbe interactions in the gut and how the immune system maintains tolerance during chronic infection. Learn more: bit.ly/3WXgr2V
Graphic with headshot of Dr. Blanda Di Luccia welcoming her to the University of Pittsburgh Department of Immunology as a Research Assistant Professor
October 27, 2025 at 1:05 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
With a new U01 grant from the NIH, Pitt researchers Drs. Robert Binder, Amitava Mukherjee, and Joel Greenberger are investigating whether targeting a protein called Fgr can restore blood production after radiation exposure, which wipes out blood-generating stem cells in the bone marrow.
Graphic with headshots of University of Pittsburgh researchers Robert Binder, Amitava Mukherjee, and Joel Greenberger announcing that they have been awarded a U01 grant from the National Institutes of Health for their project "Mitigation of hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (ARS) by inhibition of tyrosine kinase Fgr."
October 22, 2025 at 3:16 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
Congratulations to @pitt-pmi.bsky.social student Kenta Yamamoto from @slg1717.bsky.social's lab for receiving an F30 predoctoral award from @niaidnews.bsky.social to study how RNA-binding proteins regulate #Tcells that drive inflammatory disease in a model of #GraftVersusHostDisease!
Graphic with headshot of graduate student Kenta Yamamoto announcing his F30 predoctoral award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
October 21, 2025 at 5:10 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
🚨 Faculty position alert! 🚨The Center for Systems Immunology (CSI) and @pitt-immunology.bsky.social are seeking to appoint a tenure-stream Assistant Professor. Learn more and apply: bit.ly/3L42cGS
Graphic announcing that the Center for Systems Immunology and the University of Pittsburgh Department of Immunology are hiring an Assistant Professor in Systems Immunology. To learn more or apply, visit join.pitt.edu and search 24007498 under Faculty Positions
October 20, 2025 at 3:42 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
Catch up on recent #cancer #immunotherapy discoveries in
this roundup featuring @overacrelab.bsky.social's finding that #sucralose weakens immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy www.the-scientist.com/the-cancer-i...
The Cancer Immunotherapy Revolution: From Artificial Sweeteners to T-Cell Monitoring
Recent discoveries in cancer immunotherapy reveal new factors that may affect patients’ treatment response and help researchers improve these outcomes.
www.the-scientist.com
October 20, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Reposted by Pitt Department of Immunology
aai.org
We hear you, immunologists! Due to funding disruptions & community challenges, the Regular Abstract Submission deadline for #IMMUNOLOGY2026™ has been extended to October 22, at 6:00 PM ET.
➡️ Travel Awards remain open
➡️ 2nd Abstract submission period will be Dec 2–16
Learn more: ow.ly/1yFx50XcCJ7
October 18, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Reposted by Pitt Department of Immunology
starzlinstitute.bsky.social
Thank you to everyone who attended yesterday's #Eberly Distinguished Lectureship in #Immunology! Thank you especially to Dr. Ananda Goldrath for such a wonderful talk!!! It's been an honor to host you and learn more about your research🔬🌌
From left to right: Dr. Heth Turnquist (man with a beard and glasses wearing jeans, a white button up shirt, and a black suit coat), Dr. Ananda Goldrath (woman wearing a long navy blue dress and orange shoes), and Dr. Dario Vignali (man with glasses wearing dark pants, a gray button up shirt, and a dark gray suit coat) all smiling. They are standing in front of a large projector screen with Dr. Goldrath's title slide in the background, "T cell function in tissues is imprinted by anatomical positioning And CD8 T cell exhaustion rescued by restoration of proteostasis". Dr. Ananda Goldrath lecturing from behind a podium, next to a large projection screen showing graphs of T cell biology.
October 17, 2025 at 1:21 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
Don't miss Ananda Goldrath's talk tomorrow for the Eberly Distinguished Lectureship in Immunology!

📍 Richards Auditorium at The Assembly & Zoom
📅 Thursday, October 16
🕛 Noon-1pm
starzlinstitute.bsky.social Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute @starzlinstitute.bsky.social · Sep 9
Dr. Ananda Goldrath (Allen Institute for Immunology) will present "Thinking about the immune system in tissues across space & time" at our next #Eberly Distinguished Lectureship in #Immunology!! @pitt-pmi.bsky.social

See you Thurs., Oct. 16th at noon in the Assembly Building Auditorium or Zoom!
Dr. Ananda Goldrath is a brunette woman with a curly bob, wearing a dark purple v-neck long sleeve shirt and gold hoop earrings. She is standing in front of a blurred background, smiling at the camera.
October 15, 2025 at 5:43 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
How does a pregnant mother's immune system recognize and eliminate infections while tolerating the developing baby? Meet the #Tcells that help maintain a healthy pregnancy in a new study by Dr. Jing Li. Learn more: bit.ly/479TT3S
KIR+ CD8+ T cells increase in a pregnant mother’s body during pregnancy. These cells help maintain a healthy pregnancy by suppressing alloreactive T cells, which recognize fetal proteins as foreign, a process that can potentially harm the fetus
October 13, 2025 at 1:59 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
We are delighted to welcome Dr. Victor S. Cortez to @pitt-immunology.bsky.social as a tenure-stream Assistant Professor! Dr. Cortez's research focuses on understanding how immune cells and inflammation affect tissue physiology.

Learn more about Dr. Cortez and his work: buff.ly/gvfkW6Y
Graphic with headshot of Dr. Victor S. Cortez announcing his appointment to Assistant Professor in the University of Pittsburgh Department of Immunology
October 10, 2025 at 1:26 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
Congratulations to @pitt-immunology.bsky.social secondary faculty member Dr. Sarah Gaffen @slg1717.bsky.social on receiving the @cmu.edu Alumni Award for her work on IL-17!

Read more⬇️

www.cmu.edu/mcs/news-eve...
pittdeptofmed.bsky.social University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine @pittdeptofmed.bsky.social · Oct 7
From CMU grad to global immunology leader 🦠

Congrats to @slg1717.bsky.social, winner of the 2025 @cmu.edu Alumni Achievement Award for her trailblazing research on IL-17 and immune defense! 🧫

Her groundbreaking IL-17 research has transformed the field of immunology and improved lives worldwide.
October 7, 2025 at 7:08 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
"The future is bright." Department chair Dr. Dario Vignali (@vignalilab.bsky.social) shares his thoughts on the Nobel prize-winning discovery of regulatory T cells buff.ly/lZZaW9g

#Nobel2025 #tregs
Regulatory T-Cell Pioneers Awarded Nobel Prize
By identifying regulatory T cells, this year’s Nobel laureates revealed a paradox at the heart of immunity: The same cells that prevent autoimmunity also suppress anticancer responses. That insight is...
aacrjournals.org
October 7, 2025 at 7:03 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
Congratulations to Dr. Amanda Poholek @poholeklab.bsky.social for her promotion to Associate Professor with tenure! Learn more about Dr. Poholek and her research: buff.ly/q14wey8
Graphic with headshot of Dr. Amanda Poholek announcing her promotion to associate professor with tenure
October 6, 2025 at 1:42 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
This should be a great lecture from @pitt-immunology.bsky.social secondary faculty member @kohanlab.bsky.social!
pittdeptofmed.bsky.social University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine @pittdeptofmed.bsky.social · Oct 3
Don't forget to attend today's HS Ascending Star Award Lecture with one of this year's awardees, Dr. Alison Kohan from the Div. of Endocrinology and Metabolism!

"No Guts, No Glory: Intestinal Lipid Absorption and Its Role in Disease"

🗓️Friday, Oct. 3
🕞3:30 p.m.
📍Alan Magee Scaife Hall, Room 3785
October 3, 2025 at 2:04 PM
pitt-immunology.bsky.social
Congratulations to Dr. Dayana Rivadeneira for her promotion to Assistant Professor at @pitt-immunology.bsky.social and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center! Learn more about Dr. Rivadeneira and her research: buff.ly/0rhXAnJ
Graphic with headshot of Dr. Dayana Rivadeneira announcing her promotion to Assistant Professor
October 3, 2025 at 1:45 PM