In the Hamerman Lab, we are interested in understanding how myeloid cells contribute to both productive and pathological immune responses during infection, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases.
Our research focuses on monocytes and macrophages, and conventional and plasmacytoid dendritic cells, key players in innate immune responses that set the stage for subsequent adaptive immunity.
We are particularly interested in understanding how signaling by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) is regulated in these innate cells and how dysregulated TLR responses contribute to both initiation and propagation of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the autoimmune complication macrophage activation syndrome (MAS).
We also have a key interest in monocyte and macrophage development during homeostasis, and how this process changes during inflammation, whether due to infection, inflammatory or autoimmune diseases.
Our research will lead to a better mechanistic understanding of how TLRs and myeloid cells function and will allow for identification of new therapeutic intervention points in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
Jessica Hamerman, PhD
Lab Members
Susan Canny, MD/PhD
Eli D'Amico
Griff Gessay
Lucy Li
Minjian Ni, MSci, PhD
Susana Orozco, PhD
Natalie Thulin, BA
Hayley Waterman
Research Projects
Flightless-1 in lung macrophage and DC development and function
Immune complex activation of pDC IFNα production in lupus
Monocyte-derived inflammatory hemophagocytes in disease
Featured Publications
-
Oct 2023
Lupus IgA1 autoantibodies synergize with IgG to enhance pDC responses to RNA-containing immune complexes.
bioRxivWaterman HR, Dufort MJ, Posso SE, Ni M, Li LZ, Zhu C, Raj P, Smith KD, Buckner JH, Hamerman JA -
Feb 2022
Immune Mechanisms in Inflammatory Anemia.
Annu Rev ImmunolCanny SP, Orozco SL, Thulin NK, Hamerman JA -
Aug 2021
Signals governing monocyte differentiation during inflammation.
Curr Opin ImmunolOrozco SL, Canny SP, Hamerman JA -
Jan 2019
Chronic TLR7 and TLR9 signaling drives anemia via differentiation of specialized hemophagocytes.
ScienceAkilesh HM, Buechler MB, Duggan JM, Hahn WO, Matta B, Sun X, Gessay G, Whalen E, Mason M, Presnell SR, Elkon KB, Lacy-Hulbert A, Barnes BJ, Pepper M, Hamerman JA -
May 2019
The signaling adaptor BCAP inhibits NLRP3 and NLRC4 inflammasome activation in macrophages through interactions with Flightless-1.
Sci SignalCarpentier SJ, Ni M, Duggan JM, James RG, Cookson BT, Hamerman JA