Lewis Lanier, PhD
Professor
Microbiology and Immunology
School of Medicine

415-514-0829

Natural killer (NK) cells are a type of white blood cell that provides protection against microbial pathogens and tumors. Since the early 1980’s, our lab has investigated how NK cells distinguish between normal healthy cells and cells that are transformed or infected with viruses.

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NK cells express a diverse array of inhibitory and activating receptors on their cells surface that bind to ligands expressed on the cell surface of potential target cells. When encountering healthy cells, signals transmitted by inhibitory NK receptors dominate and prevent autoimmunity, whereas the loss of ligands for the inhibitory receptors or the upregulation of ligands for the activating NK receptors on infected or transformed cells allows NK cells to kill these abnormal cells and secrete cytokine that influence the subsequent response by T cells and B cells. We have developed mouse models systems in which key signaling molecules such as DAP10 and DAP12 have been ablated to explore the physiological role of these NK receptors in resistance to viral infections (cytomegalovirus, poxviruses, and influenza) and primary tumorigenesis.

Awards

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  • Lifetime Achievement Award, American Association of Immunologists, 2023
  • Hall of Distinction, Virginia Tech College of Science, 2023
  • Distinguished Fellow, American Association of Immunologists, 2019
  • Excellence in Mentoring Award, American Association of Immunologists, 2017
  • J. Michael Bishop MD Distinguished Professor, University of California San Francisco, 2013
  • Distinguished UNC Alumnus Award, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, 2013
  • Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2011
  • Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology, 2011
  • Faculty Research Lecture - Basic Science, University of California San Francisco, 2011
  • Member, National Academy of Sciences, 2010
  • President, American Association of Immunologists, 2006-2007
  • Rose Payne Award, American Society for Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics, 2005
  • Research Professor, American Cancer Society, 2003
  • William B Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Basic and Tumor, Cancer Research Institute, 2002
  • Distinguished Service Award, American Association of Immunologists, 2001
  • Research Fellow, Becton Dickinson, 1990
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Damon Runyon - Walter Winchell Cancer Fund, 1979-1981

Education & Training

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  • Ph.D. Microbiology and Immunology University of North Carolina Chapel Hill 1978
  • B.S. Biology Virginia Tech 1975

Websites

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Grants and Projects

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Publications (472)

Top publication keywords:
NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily KCytomegalovirus InfectionsLectins, C-TypeReceptors, ImmunologicHerpesviridae InfectionsHistocompatibility Antigens Class ILymphocyte ActivationNK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily AKiller Cells, NaturalAntigens, CDReceptors, Natural Killer CellMuromegalovirusImmunity, InnateImmunologic MemoryCytotoxicity, Immunologic

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