Timothy Richard Mosmann, Ph.D.

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Dr. Tim R. Mosmann is Director of the Human Immunology Center (HIC), and also serves as the Director and Michael and Angela Pichichero Director's Endowed Chair of the David H. Smith Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology.

Dr. Mosmann received B.S. degrees in both Chemistry and Physiology, and in Microbiology, from the University of Natal and Rhodes University in South Africa. He subsequently emigrated to Canada and obtained his Ph.D. in Microbiology at the University of British Columbia. Research fellowships at the University of Toronto and University of Glasgow were followed by his appointment as an assistant professor at the University of Alberta. He then spent 8 years in industry, as a research scientist at DNAX Research Institute in Palo Alto, California - prior to rejoining the University of Alberta as Chairman of the Department of Immunology. In 1998, he was recruited to the University of Rochester.

Dr. Mosmann has made many important contributions to the field of Immunology, and is perhaps best known for his discovery, with his colleague Dr. Robert Coffman, of the TH1 and TH2 subsets of T lymphocytes, which determine whether the host response to infection will be characterized by a predominantly humoral immune response (TH2) or a predominantly cellular immune response (TH1). This discovery was a crucial event in our understanding of how the host immune response is regulated, and has fundamental implications for vaccine design and disease pathogenesis. Dr. Mosmann is recognized by the Institute for Scientific Information as a highly cited scientist, and has won many honours and awards for his unique contributions to understanding of the immune system. Note that "highly cited" scientists comprise less than 0.5% of all publishing researchers in science.

Current Appointments

• Director - Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology (SMD)
• Michael and Angela Pichichero Director in the David H. Smith Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology - Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology (SMD)
• Professor - Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology (SMD)