Harvard University
Immunology
Immunologists explore how our bodies protect us from infections, diseases, and foreign substances. Through research, Harvard scientists are gaining a deeper understanding, finding better treatments, and implementing stronger preventions for everything from the flu to cancer.
Immunology has a wide impact
Defending the body from bacteria and viruses is only one of the roles of the immune system.
The immune system fights disease
Each year flu season affects millions of Americans. With our immune systems at the center of the fight, protection comes from both past infection and vaccination.
The immune system aids in recovery
A Harvard study suggests that exercise may be a natural way to boost the body’s immune responses to reduce inflammation.
The immune system intersects with other systems
Research in the field of chronic itch have shown the importance and the complexity of the interactions between the immune system and the nervous system.
Researching the immune system
Discoveries about the immune system, many made at Harvard, have contributed to therapies, treatments, and even cures for autoimmune and allergic diseases, cancers, viral infections, and more.
We know that if you don’t get enough sleep, there’s changes in your immune function. Your immune function is how you fight diseases.”Elizabeth Klerman
Professor of neurology, Harvard Medical School
Investigating immune overreactions
Researchers identified a protein that can turn the immune system against the body’s own tissues, driving inflammation and tissue damage in a range of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory conditions. In other research, scientists discovered that vagus nerve cells that sense heat, irritation, and tissue damage also help prevent harmful immune overreactions, which could help prevent immune-driven damage in flu and other viral infections.
Studying innate immunity
Ranging from physical barriers like the skin to antimicrobial molecules produced by cells, the innate immune system is the body’s first line of defense. Scientists have identified proteins in the innate immune system that may be at the root of some neurodegenerative conditions, including ALS. Researchers are also studying how the innate immune system responds to RNA viruses, which cause diseases like COVID-19, influenza, and West Nile.
Exploring pathogen detection
Viruses, bacteria, and even certain kinds of cancers can rapidly mutate to try to escape our immune systems. Scientists are combining theoretical physics and evolutionary biology to learn how to better help our immune systems fight disease. Researchers are also working to understand what molecular patterns immune cells recognize, to learn when the immune system launches a response, leading to new ways to boost immune reactions.
Understanding immune cells
T cells are essential to the immune system, distinguishing between the body’s own tissues and harmful invaders. Research revealed how the body creates miniature versions of organs for T cells to “preview.” Scientists have also engineered an effective and fast way to create brain-specific immune cells to help model neurological disorders, and learned that one type of immune cell may be key to repairing damage to the lungs’ mucosal lining.
Combating cancer
Harvard scientists are pioneering ways to prevent, treat, and adapt to the evolving threat of cancer.
Unleashing the immune system to fight cancer
Married for 47 years, and scientific collaborators for about as long, Arlene Sharpe and Gordon Freeman have dedicated their careers to unraveling the mysteries of the immune system and fulfilling the long-elusive promise of cancer immunotherapy.
Supercharging cancer treatments
Harvard researchers are expanding the current cancer immunotherapy treatments by identifying tricks that cancer cells use to hinder the ability of immune cells, exploring ways to make cancer cells contribute to their own elimination, and “tagging” T cells with immune-enhancing molecules to better fight solid tumors.
Adapting as cancer adapts
Harvard scientists are approaching the issue of cancer mutation in a number of ways, from creating novel ways to examine the gene history of cancer cells that are resistant to therapeutic drugs, to finding new ways to treat mutant strains of cancer.
Keeping cancer from coming back
Across Harvard, researchers are looking into the possibilities of personalized cancer vaccines for patients with kidney cancer at high risk of recurrence, stage 4 metastatic melanoma, and lymphoma, colon cancer, lung cancer, and neuroblastoma.
Better understanding bacteria
Researchers studying gut bacteria learned how diet and gut microbes work together to build the human immune system.
We’re trying to understand the difference between protective and failed immunity to TB.”Sarah Fortune
Professor of immunology and infectious diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Antibiotic resistance
Bacteria that cause infections are developing resistance to commonly used antibiotics, creating a growing public health threat. Research is underway to develop effective treatments before bacteria outpace our current drugs.
Bacterial infections
Because bacteria can attach to implants and form infections that are hard to treat, researchers developed biomaterial-based vaccines that train the immune system to recognize and attack these bacteria more effectively.
Molecular differences
Researchers found that small molecular differences on the surface of gut bacteria help the immune system stay balanced and prevent harmful inflammation in the colon, which could have implications for diseases like Crohn’s and colitis.
I want to understand how microbes affect our immunity and help protect us.”Smita Gopinath
Assistant professor of immunology and infectious diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Prevailing against viruses
Harvard scientists are making huge advancements in the eons-long arms race between humans and viruses.
Explore Harvard’s department of immunology and infectious diseases
Vaccinations are vital during measles outbreaks
Yonatan Grad, professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard Chan School, explains that measles is extremely contagious, so those in proximity to the outbreaks should make sure that they have been vaccinated.
Vaccinations are vital during measles outbreaks
Utilizing a powerful preventative treatment against the AIDS virus
Exploring a unique approach for targeting all flu strains
Decreasing cervical cancer screening frequency through HPV vaccination
Strengthening efforts in pandemic preparedness and vaccine research
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