Edgar Engleman, MD., Professor, Department of Pathology, Stanford University

Research Description: The overall goal of the Engleman Laboratory is to understand and manipulate the immune system for the treatment and cure of disease. Dr. Engleman’s research program uses an integrated discovery approach, based on high-complexity immune cell analysis and gene manipulation in vivo in mouse models to discover the precise role of the immune system in disease development and target these mechanisms for therapy. One of the tools his group developed is a method based on mass cytometry (CyTOF) and a novel algorithm that enables systemwide analysis of the immune system. This and other cutting-edge methods enabled the Engleman group to discover novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and prevention of organ transplant rejection. Dr. Engleman also has a longstanding commitment to understanding the role of the immune system in obesity associated adipose tissue inflammation and Type 2 diabetes. His findings demonstrate an immunological relationship between adipose and gastrointestinal tissues and their role in molding the immune system in response to diet. Recently, having discovered that ILC2 cells play a major role in obesity-associated adipose tissue inflammation and T2D, his lab is seeking to identify and potentially therapeutically target the responsible mechanism. Dr. Engleman collaborates extensively with many members of the NORC.