地点: 美国 发布时间:2013-09-17 04:11:36 |
The laboratory of Ofer Levy MD, PhD in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School studies innate immunity of immunocompromised populations in an effort to identify novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
The Levy lab is currently comprised of two post-doctoral scientists, a clinical research fellow and two technicians. In close collaboration with Dr. Eva Guinan (Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, and Associate Director for Translational research, Dana Farber Cancer Institute), we have discovered that patients undergoing myeloablative radio/chemo-therapy as conditioning for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), suffer mucosal intestinal damage leading to translocation of Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) from the gut to the peripheral blood. Concurrently, conditioning depletes endogenous endotoxin-neutralizing components of host defense, including neutrophil-derived antimicrobial proteins and peptides as well as counter-regulatory cytokines/chemokines. In this context, endotoxin activates antigen-presenting cells via Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) contributing to transplant-related toxicities, including graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD). These observations raise the possibility that blocking endotoxin and/or endotoxin-activated signaling cascades may benefit transplant patients. Accordingly we have developed both animal models and human clinical trials to explore this hypothesis.
We are currently seeking a post-doctoral research scientist with background in Immunology and/or Microbiology to develop cutting-edge translational research projects related to modulation of innate immunity as a means of preventing and/or reducing transplant-related toxicities. The position offers strong potential for conceptual and technical advances, publication, travel to and presentation at high quality research meetings, and career development. Interested applicants should contact Dr. Ofer Levy: ofer.levy@childrens.harvard.edu
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