Jones Seminar: Reshaping the Immune Response Through Biomolecular Engineering

Optional ZOOM LINK
Meeting ID: 935 8655 7757
Passcode: 008066

The repertoire of naturally-occurring proteins is finite and many molecules induce multiple confounding effects, limiting their efficacy as therapeutics. Recently, there has been a growing interest in redesigning existing proteins or engineering entirely new proteins to address the deficiencies of molecules found in nature. Researchers have traditionally taken an unbiased approach to protein engineering, but as our knowledge of protein structure-function relationships advances, we have the exciting opportunity to apply molecular principles to guide engineering. Leveraging cutting-edge tools and technologies in structural biology and molecular design, our lab is pioneering a unique structure-based engineering approach to elucidate the mechanistic determinants of protein activity, in order to inform therapeutic development.

Our group is particularly interested in engineering immune proteins, such as cytokines, growth factors, and antibodies, to bias the immune response for targeted disease treatment. Despite the recent explosive growth of protein drugs within the pharmaceutical market, limitations such as delivery, acquired resistance, and toxicity have impeded realization of the full potential of these therapeutics, necessitating new approaches that synergize with existing strategies to address clinically unmet needs. This talk will highlight ongoing work in our lab that spans the discovery, design, and translation of novel molecular immunotherapeutics for applications ranging from cancer to autoimmune disorders to regenerative medicine. 

Hosted by Professor Katie Hixon

About the Speaker(s)

Jamie Spangler
Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering & Chemical/ Biomolecular Engineering, JHU

Jamie Spangler is The Brody Faculty Scholar and associate professor of biomedical engineering, and chemical and biomolecular engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Spangler earned a Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins and a PhD in biological engineering at MIT. After a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine, Spangler launched her independent research group at Hopkins in 2017. Her lab, located in the Translational Therapeutics and Regenerative Engineering Center at the School of Medicine, applies structural and mechanistic insights to re-engineer existing proteins and design new proteins that therapeutically modulate the immune response. In particular, her group is interested in engineering immune molecules such as cytokines, growth factors, and antibodies for targeted treatment of diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders.

Contact

For more information, contact Amos Johnson at amos.l.johnson@dartmouth.edu.