Dr. Laura A. Vogel
Dr. Laura A. Vogel
Office – 246 SLB, Lab-247 SLB
Phone – 309-438-2479, Email - lavogel@ilstu.edu
Regulation of Immune Responses
My research focus is immunology, particularly how immune responses are regulated. We study interactions between white blood cells known as B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes using the mouse as a model system. Below are some of the on-going projects in our laboratory.
Aging and the immune system: Why does the immune system of the elderly function poorly and what can we do to improve their health? In particular we are interested in B cell responses and antibodies in aged individuals.
Negative selection: Why do some people get autoimmune diseases while others don't? Many autoimmune diseases are neither preventable nor curable and affect millions of individuals. Here we are focusing on identifying basic mechanisms of white blood cell (T cell) development. By understanding how the process normally works and identifying the molecules involved we are better able to understand what goes wrong in autoimmune diseases.
B cell-T cell interactions: We are interested in how immune responses are regulated to turn on and turn off quickly. In particular, we have developed a model to identify and track these cells during an immune response. We are also interested in the differences in immune responses that occur in various lymphoid organs.
Extra pair mating in birds to enhance immunocompetence of offspring: In many socially monogamous species, females will engage in extra-pair mating. The reason why females choose to mate with another male is unclear, but one explanation is that she is deriving genetic benefits to enhance the health of her offspring. In collaboration with Drs. Charles Thompson and Scott Sakaluk, we are investigating this hypothesis in house wrens.
Chronic pain, inflammation and immunosuppression: Thousands of individuals suffer from chronic pain which is caused by inflammation produced by the immune system. We are working with two local physicians at the Millennium Pain Center, Drs. Ricardo Vallejo and Ramsin Benyamin, to study the effects of different pain management therapies on immune function.