Leadership

Jacques Robert, Ph.D.

Education: B.S. University of Geneva, Switzerland; Ph.D. University of Geneva, Switzerland; Post-doc Basel Institute for Immunology, Basel , Switzerland

Lab: Robert Jumping Frog lab

T32 Association: Mentor since 2000, Associate Director 2018-present

Research Interests: I’m interested by developmental and evolutionary aspects of immune surveillance, tumor and microbial immunity using the amphibian Xenopus as animal model. My lab has recently unveiled the importance of MHC class I-like restricted innate-like T cells outside mammals, particularly during early development and during immune responses against pox-like ranavirus (Iridoviridae) and mycobacteria. My lab is also interested in long-term effects of water pollutants on immune cell development and on immune homeostasis and antiviral immunity across the lifespan.

Favorite Immune Cell/Factor: Innate-like T cells – a potential T cell forerunner in evolution of immune system

Fun Fact: I started adventure in science by collecting spiders and other little funny creatures in East Asia for the Natural History Museum of Geneva, following the path of Alfred Wallace, the famous naturalist who authored with Charles Darwin the first paper on evolution through natural selection.

Beyond the Lab: Hiking, playing volley ball, reading books, passionate about opera and classical music.

Scott Gerber, Ph.D.

Education: B.S. SUNY Fredonia; Ph.D. University of Rochester; Post-doc Yale University

T32 Association: Trainee 2001-2004; Mentor since 2019; Associate Director 2025-present

Research Interests: My research centers on how to engage the immune system to better recognize and eliminate cancer, particularly in tumors that are highly resistant to treatment such as pancreatic and colorectal cancer. A major focus of my lab is defining how radiotherapy can be used as an immunologic tool to alter the tumor microenvironment, enhance immune activation, and improve therapeutic response.

Favorite Immune Cell/Factor: Interleukin-12. If cytokines had personalities, IL-12 would be the one that does not believe in subtlety. It is incredibly powerful at driving anti-tumor immunity, and I am fascinated by how we can harness that power safely and effectively against cancer.

Fun Fact: Former hockey goalie, a long time piano player, and one of the few people who can say they have driven a Zamboni and enjoyed every second of it!

Tim Mosmann, Ph.D.

Education: B.S. in Chemistry and Physiology and Microbiology from Rhodes University, South Africa; Ph.D. in Microbiology at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Post-doc Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada and Glasgow University, Scotland

Affiliations: Assistant professor at the University of Alberta. Research scientist at DNAX Research Institute in Palo Alto, California. Chair of the Department of Immunology at University of Alberta in 1990. Founding Director of the David H. Smith Center for Immunology and Vaccine Biology at the University of Rochester.

T32 Association: Mentor since 2013, Associate Director 2020-present

Research Interests: Dr. Mosmann has made many important contributions to the field of Immunology, and is perhaps best known for his discovery of the TH1 and TH2 subsets of T lymphocytes, which determine whether the host response to infection will be characterized by a predominantly allergic immune response (TH2, effective against worm parasites)) or an Interferon-γ-dominated immune response (TH1, effective against intracellular bacteria and parasites). 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. He also contributed to the identification of several cytokines, notably discovering IL-10 as a cross-regulator of Th1 and Th2 responses.

Favorite Immune Cell/Factor: All-time favorite - Interleukin 10. Favorite-of-the-year - TRIM21, an elegant strategy for intracellular defense.

Fun Fact: Dr. Mosmann has won many honors and awards for his unique contributions to understanding of the immune system, including the Ehrlich Prize and the Novartis Prize for Basic Immunology. Four of his papers have been chosen as “Pillars of Immunology” by the Journal of Immunology.