Prof. Shane Crotty
Vaccines and immune system scientist. Professor and Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), a non-profit research institute.
- In our latest study in @cp-immunity.bsky.social, we followed dynamics of vaccine-specific Tfh cells for 60+ weeks after immunization. authors.elsevier.com/a/1m3mV3qNrU... We captured >500,000 CD4 T cells including >36,000 vaccine-specific Tfh by scRNAseq, giving an unprecedented longitudinal detail.
- We identified distinct subsets of GC-Tfh cells, including populations rich in IL-21 and IL-4, and with signatures of recent TCR engagement. We also spotted proliferating Tfh, Tfr, and IL10⁺ Tfh cells among others.
- We found that vaccine-specific Tfh cells expand early and remain active for months, showing no signs of exhaustion. Tracking Tfh clones across weeks showed not only that the same clones can persist, but also how these different Tfh subsets are interconnected.
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View full threadTogether, this work shows that durable and robust GC-Tfh responses are key architects of high-quality antibody responses. They lead B cells toward their best performance. Understanding how to sustain and shape these networks offers a path toward more effective and enduring vaccines.
- thanks!
- LJI is recruiting! The La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI, San Diego, California) invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position.
- Faculty candidates must hold a PhD, MD, or equivalent degree and must have an outstanding record of scientific ability demonstrated by a strong publication record.
- Applicants should electronically submit a single attachment that includes (1) a cover letter, (2) curriculum vitae, (3) a research statement with research accomplishments and proposed research program (<3 pages), and (4) 3 reference contacts. jobs.dayforcehcm.com/en-US/lji/CA...
- LJI has a strong research focus in human health and human diseases. We are interested in applicants from any area of immunology and we particularly welcome applicants with research emphasis on autoimmunity, engineering immunity, and sex-based immunological differences.
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- In our latest vaccine immunology study we tested whether it is possible to simultaneously prime multiple classes of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) against HIV using a combination of germline-targeting (GT) immunogens. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... @scienceimmuno.bsky.social @lji.org
- An effective HIV vaccine will likely need to elicit multiple bnAb classes simultaneously. In this study, we systematically tested whether different combinations of three HIV GT immunogens could prime bnAb-class responses. Turns out, the immune system can handle multitasking just fine.
- We isolated a total of 13 BG18-class (V3/glycan), 84 PCT64-class (Apex), and 134 10E8-class (MPER) unique clonal lineages from primates that received a triple combination GT immunization regimen. To our knowledge, this is the first report of its kind.
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View full threadWith the Schief lab we’ve shown that individual germline targeting immunogens can effectively prime bnAb-class responses in primates. The bnAb studies this work was based on: * www.science.org/doi/full/10...., * www.nature.com/articles/s41..., * www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
- 1/ David Baltimore passed away this weekend. He was one of the greatest biologists of the past 100 years. He made extraordinary contributions to immunology, cancer, molecular biology, virology, HIV, biochemistry, genetics, and genetic engineering. He won the Nobel prize in Medicine at age 37.
- 2/ There were those who said he should have easily won two Nobel Prizes. He had a tumultuous tenure as President of Rockefeller University, followed by a highly success tenure as President of Caltech. Perhaps his most enduring legacy is the incredible cadre of scientists who trained in his lab
- 3/ Many of his trainees have gone on to be leaders in their fields for decades, elected to the National Academies, and been heads of universities.
- 4/ The photo is one of my favorites of David. In his lab, circa 1971, the era of the reverse transcriptase discoveries. For those interested in a deeper dive: a.co/d/cOKmZWx
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- A good news article in Nature today following up on these papers www.nature.com/articles/d41...
- After 30+ years of HIV vaccine clinical trials, this is the first time that neutralizing antibodies against an HIV clinical isolate has been generated in vaccinated people. * "Tier 2" neutralizing antibodies, induced consistently. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
- “The field has made enormous progress in the last two or three years, and this is a reward for the investments that the federal government has made in these programs,” said Dennis Burton, @scripps.edu . “Now is not the time to end these efforts,” warned Burton.
- After 30+ years of HIV vaccine clinical trials, this is the first time that neutralizing antibodies against an HIV clinical isolate has been generated in vaccinated people. * "Tier 2" neutralizing antibodies, induced consistently. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
- After 30+ years of HIV vaccine clinical trials, this is the first time that neutralizing antibodies against an HIV clinical isolate has been generated in vaccinated people. * "Tier 2" neutralizing antibodies, induced consistently. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
- 3x vax with membrane-bound trimers elicited neutralization in 80% of vax. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
- And the animal models show how important animals models can be for vaccine studies for predictive power. In the monkeys, this was the first time an RNA vaccine elicited HIV neutralizing antibodies.*
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View full threadAmazing work led by Bill Schief at Scripps and Moderna, with the great Julie McElrath heading the clinical trial, and Parham Ramezani-Rad of @lji.org and Cottrell leading the monkey vaccine study.
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- In our new study we show local B-cell immunity and durable memory following live-attenuated influenza intranasal vaccination of humans. We utilized minimally invasive swabbing of human upper airway, following seasonal intramuscular or nasal (FluMist) flu vaccinations www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
- Nasal vaccines aim to make local immunity, at the site of respiratory virus infection. However, establishing correlates of protection for intranasal vaccines remains a significant challenge, in part due to accessibility of relevant tissues. doi.org/10.1038/s415...
- We previously demonstrated that high quality swabbing can evaluate of mucosal immune memory in the context of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections. doi.org/10.1038/s415...
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View full threadThis project was led by postdoc @hannahdstacey.bsky.social in the lab, supported by the amazing core facilities @lji.org and done in collaboration with Dr. Florian Krammer @Icahn School of Medicine.
- Our wonderful LJI colleague Alex Sette was knighted this week! In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to immunology. As one measure of Alex's impact on immunology, he has over 140,000 scientific citations, and has 964 papers that have been cited at least 10 times.
- News: LJI Professor Alessandro Sette (@settelab.bsky.social) receives Order of Merit from the Italian Republic Dr. Sette knighted for outstanding research and leadership in the field of immunology bit.ly/4d17zRd #medicine #health #ImmuneSystem #science #SanDiego
- It is a true honor and joy to have Alex as a colleague. He brings so much to LJI, he's an exceptionally generous faculty colleague over the years, and he has trained an outstanding cadre of young scientists. Thrilled by his well deserved international recognition. Congratulations Cavaliere Sette!
- Reposted by Prof. Shane CrottyNews: LJI Professor Alessandro Sette (@settelab.bsky.social) receives Order of Merit from the Italian Republic Dr. Sette knighted for outstanding research and leadership in the field of immunology bit.ly/4d17zRd #medicine #health #ImmuneSystem #science #SanDiego