Dr. Adrian Ozinsky joined the ISB faculty in 2005. He is an immunologist with a strong background in cell biology, molecular biology, and biochemistry. He is interested in deciphering how immune cells co-ordinate defenses during infections. What are the mechanisms used by white blood cells, such as macrophages, to detect, engulf and kill microbes, and how are these events coupled to the initiation of inflammation?
Dr. Ozinsky graduated in Medicine from the University of Cape Town, South Africa in 1988, and received a Ph.D. in Medical Biochemistry in 1996. He completed post-doctoral studies at the University of Washington in the immunology Lab of Dr. Alan Aderem. Dr. Ozinsky joined the Institute for Systems Biology in 2000, as a Senior Research Scientist. He also holds an affiliate appointment in Immunology at the University of Washington. The mechanism of ligand recognition and signal transduction involves co-operation between different TLRs that simultaneously recognize different sets of components on the surface a given pathogen and thus enables the immune cells to distinguish between pathogens. In this manner, a stream of signals is generated that activates inflammation and shapes the nature of the subsequent immune response. In addition to these studies performed in mice, Dr. Ozinsky also has helped to define how mutations within TLR genes confer risk of infectious disease in humans.
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Dr. Ozinsky has made major contributions to establish that innate immune cells utilize the members of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family to identify pathogens and coordinate protective immune defenses in order to limit infections. These studies have revealed how TLRs participate in the perception of a variety of microbes, including organisms as diverse as Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, mycobacteria, yeasts, and parasites. This wide range of pathogens is perceived through the recognition of select microbial components, including combinations of sugars, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids that represent molecular patterns that are unique to pathogens.
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