Research Bio
B cells have been implicated as central players in the autoimmune diseases Sjögren's Syndrome (SS), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). While it has been reported that B cells participate in both immune and autoimmune response through their traditional role of antibody (and auto-antibody) production--B cells are also known to participate, possibly pathologically, through antibody independent functions such as cytokine production and antigen presentation. It has long been reported that B cells are capable of cytokine production; B cells activated through the B cell Receptor (BCR) or Toll-Like Receptors (TLR) produce cytokines such as IL-10, IL-6 and TNFa.
Preliminary data has shown that B cells produce a large and diverse array of cytokines in biologically significant quantities. Further data has shown that B cells can be induced to make pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFNg, IL-12p40, and TNFa) when stimulated by Th1 cells, or cytokines associated with allergic responses (IL-4) when stimulated by Th2 cells. This B / T cell communication indicates potentially complex effector roles when considering cytokine-producing B cells. In mice, IL-10 producing B cells seem to ameliorate symptoms of autoimmune diseases of RA and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. While the observation that B cells are capable of producing a variety of effector cytokines under differing stimulation conditions is tantalizing, a systematic approach to dissect the function of these cytokine producing B cells is necessary to elucidate their effector functions in both health and autoimmune disease. The immuno-modulatory effects of the cytokines produced and the hypothesis that cytokine-producing B cells contribute in both the healthy state as well as the autoimmune conditions of Sjögren's Syndrome, Lupus and Rheumatoid, through systemic inflammatory modulation and target-tissue influences are being evaluated.
| 2008 Volpe Prize for Periodontal Research, Finalist | The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH |
2008 |
| Dentsply/SCADA Student Clinician Research Program, Marquette representative at the ADA Annual Meeting |
2007 |
| Sjögren's Syndrome Foundation Fellowship; "Autoantibody characterization in salivary gland B cells in primary Sjögren' |
2007 - 2008 |
| Best Manuscript, Journal of Dental Education | American Association for Dental Education |
2006 |
| Academic Dental Careers Fellowship Program Fellow | ADEA |
2006 - 2007 |
| 1st Prize Dental Research Division, Poster Presentation | Marquette University Research Day |
2006 |
| Recipient of the Robert Burkhardt Memorial Scholarship | Pennsylvania Academy of Stomatology |
2005 |
