The Science

Human(e) Immunology

The Romberg Lab investigates the regulatory mechanisms that enable the human immune systems to vigorously attack infectious pathogens but not our own bodies. Particular topics of interest include:

• Germinal center development and regulation

• The role of pioneer transcription factors in hematopoiesis

• Epigentic and somatic mechanisms of gene silencing in lymphocytes

• The role of T regulatory cells in B cell tolerance

• Autoantibody production

• The role of novel genes and pathways in immunity

• The causes and consequences of dysbiosis

We are particularly interested in studying the immune system of patients with inborn errors of immunity (IEIs) who are susceptible to both life-threatening infections and autoimmune diseases. Greater insights into the pathology of these rare diseases will enable rational development of targeted therapies for IEIs and for more common diseases that have an immunologic basis.

In addition to basic scientific inquiries, the Romberg lab has discovered or has contributed to the discovery of several inherited diseases of the immune system and identified personalized therapies for affected patients. Such disorders include:

• PU.1-mutated agammaglobulinemia (PU.MA)

• CD40LG duplication associated autoimmune disease (40DAD)

• Combined CD28/CTLA4 haploinsufficiency

• Autoinflammation with infantile enterocolitis (AIFEC)

• Hypomorphic CARD11 mutation related atopic disease