Laurie Glimcher

Irene Heinz Given Professor of Immunology, Harvard School of Public Health
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Harvard School of Public Health
Dept. of Immunology & Infectious Diseases
651 Huntington Avenue
Building FXB, Room 205
Boston, MA 02115
Tel: 617-432-0622
Fax: 617-432-0084
email:lglimche@hsph.harvard.edu
14 Postdoctoral Fellows, 1 Graduate Student

Her laboratory uses biochemical and genetic approaches to elucidate the molecular pathways that regulate CD4 T helper cell development and activation. The complex regulatory pathways governing Thelper1/Thelper2 (TH1/TH2) responses are critical for both the development of protective immunity and for the pathophysiologic immune responses underlying autoimmune diseases. This developmental event is regulated by the IL-4 and IFNg cytokines. Dr. Glimcher’s laboratory has studied the transcriptional pathways that control this important immune checkpoint. The laboratory defined the genetic bases of both IL-4 and IFNg expression in T cells. Her group identified the proto-oncogene c-maf as the transcription factor responsible for TH2-specific IL-4 expression. Subsequently, her group discovered the first TH1-specific transcription factor, T-bet and demonstrated that this single factor is a master-regulator of IFNg gene expression and the TH1 phenotype and controls Type 1 immunity in cells of both the adaptive and innate immune system. She has expanded her interest in lineage commitment in lymphocytes to the B cell with the discovery of a transcription factor, XBP-1 that controls plasma cell differentiation and the Unfolded Protein response. Most recently her laboratory has identified new proteins that control osteoblast commitment and activation. This body of work may provide a conceptual framework to therapeutically manipulate these responses in the settings of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and cancer. 

Papers & Publications:

Hetz C, Bernasconi P, Fisher J, Lee AH, Bassik MC, Antonsson B, Brandt G, Iwakoshi NN, Schinzel A, Glimcher LH, and Korsmeyer SJ. 2006. Proapoptotic BAX and BAK Modulate the Unfolded Protein Response Through a Direct Interaction with IRE1-alpha. Science; 312(5773):572-6.

Jones DC, Wein MN, Oukka M, Hofstaetter JG, Glimcher MJ, and Glimcher LH. 2006. Regulation of adult bone mass by the zinc finger adapter protein Schnurri-3. Science; 312(5777):1223-7.

Garrett W, Lord GM, Punit S, Lugo G, Mazmanian S, Ito S, Glickman J and Glimcher LH. 2007. Communicable ulcerative colitis induced by T-bet deficiency in the innate immune system. Cell 131: 33-45.

Lee A-H, Scapa EF, Cohen DE, Glimcher LH. 2008. Regulation of hepatic lipogenesis by the transcription factor XBP1. Science 320(5882): 1492-6.

Kaser A, Lee A-H, Franke A, Glickman JN, Zeissig S, Tilg H, Nieuwenhuis EES, Higgins DE, Schreiber S, Glimcher LH, Blumberg RS. 2008. Transcription factor XBP1 links ER stress to intestinal inflammation and confers genetic risk for human inflammatory bowel disease. Cell (in press) Sept 5th, 2008 issue