Our group is interested in advancing clinical research – especially in type 1 diabetes, but also in the context of other immune-mediated diseases.
We focus on development and utilization of rigorous analytical methods to identify immune features associated with clinical outcomes, including progression of disease and response to therapy. We also seek to implement cutting-edge clinical trial designs, including use of short-term interventions with mechanistic outcomes and novel considerations of trial outcome measures.
With Drs. Lord and Smithmyer, Dr. Speake oversees BRI’s biorepositories. Her group collaborates with other academic researchers worldwide and facilitates collaborations with biotech and pharma companies. She also oversees BRI’s Clinical Core Laboratory, which is responsible for sample processing and storage for the hundreds of thousands of samples currently stored in the BRI biorepository.
Cate Speake, PhD
Lab Members
Christine Bender, PhD
Linda Dement
Bradford Dimos, PhD
Rachel Hartley, PMP
Jerry Luu
Pamela Miranda
Thien-Son Nguyen, BS
Sarah Robinson
Jessica Sarratt
Sheila Scheiding
Megan Smithmyer, PhD
Cameron Willman
Research Projects
Rigor and Reproducibility in T1D Biomarker Research
Many potential biomarkers have been suggested in T1D, but translating them from discovery efforts to utility in clinical settings has been a challenge. We focus on applying techniques to improve study design, data analysis, and technical reproducibility of assays.
The Sound Life Project
The Sound Life Project is an investigation of the immune systems of adults without chronic diseases. Understanding the immune system in this context can help us understand why healthy people respond differently to vaccinations or infections.
Understanding Progression of T1D
Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet provides rich data about people at risk for T1D. We analyze this data to help understand T1D risk, to better understand the process of T1D progression, and to help inform decisions around monitoring schedules for at risk patients.
Featured Publications
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Longitudinally stable T cell function and innate immune activation distinguish healthy adult immunotypes.
Sci Transl MedSmithmyer ME, Hu A, Dufort MJ, Hocking AM, Wiedeman AE, Fasano KJ, Torgerson TR, Skene PJ, Reading J, Li X, Gong Q, Long SA, Lacy-Hulbert A, Gustafson CE, Buckner JH, Speake C, members of the BRI Sound Life Project Team, BRI Sound Life Project Team -
A standardized metric to enhance clinical trial design and outcome interpretation in type 1 diabetes.
Nat CommunYlescupidez A, Bahnson HT, O'Rourke C, Lord S, Speake C, Greenbaum CJ -
SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines decouple anti-viral immunity from humoral autoimmunity.
Nat CommunJaycox JR, Lucas C, Yildirim I, Dai Y, Wang EY, Monteiro V, Lord S, Carlin J, Kita M, Buckner JH, Ma S, Campbell M, Ko A, Omer S, Lucas CL, Speake C, Iwasaki A, Ring AM -
IL-6-targeted therapies directed to cytokine or receptor blockade drive distinct alterations in T cell function.
JCI InsightSpeake C, Habib T, Lambert K, Hundhausen C, Lord S, Dufort MJ, Skinner SO, Hu A, Kinsman M, Jones BE, Maerz MD, Tatum M, Hocking AM, Nepom GT, Greenbaum CJ, Buckner JH -
Autoantibody Reversion: Changing Risk Categories in Multiple-Autoantibody-Positive Individuals.
Diabetes CareSo M, O'Rourke C, Bahnson HT, Greenbaum CJ, Speake C
Innovation Fund Spotlight: Exploring Immune System Cells and Gut Bacteria
Allyson Byrd, PhD, is an expert in the gut microbiome, the study of the tiny organisms that live inside our digestive system. James Lord, MD, PhD, is a gastroenterologist who has studied inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis for more than 20 years.
Innovation Fund Spotlight: State-of-the-Art Genome Editing To Understand Disease and Develop New Therapies
Learn how CRISPR-Cas9-based genome engineering using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors is helping BRI scientists make breakthroughs to study human T cells and explore new treatments for type 1 diabetes, as well as develop preclinical models to study T cells and B cell
Autoantibody Reversion: A Mystery That Could Help Prevent T1D
At first, Cate Speake, PhD, and her team weren’t sure that a mysterious phenomenon called autoantibody reversion was actually happening. But no matter how they sliced the data, they saw the same pattern. Learn how autoantibody reversion could unlock new clues to preventing type 1 diabetes.
News
The Sound Life Project – New Finding Identifies Four Categories of Healthy Immune Systems
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Benaroya Research Institute Awarded $11 Million Across Eight Grants in Second Half of 2024 to Predict, Prevent, Reverse and Cure Immune System Diseases
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