I run a small translational research program largely centered around the biology of the inflammasome-activated cytokine IL-18, and particularly as it relates to causing an overwhelming systemic inflammatory disease called Macrophage Activation Syndrome. We also try to understand how “hyperinflammatory syndromes” happen in general by modeling the T-cell Immune Synapse. [READ MORE]
Being involved in the Cytokine Society has been immensely beneficial to my career. It has provided a valuable platform for connecting with fellow researchers with diverse skills and expertise, fostering interdisciplinary collaborative relationships, and developing innovative ideas to advance the field. The Society is crucial for bridging the gap between [READ MORE]
Mark Travis (Univ. of Manchester) is not an immunologist by training…. I did my BSc in Biochemistry and Genetics at Lancaster University, then a PhD in Protein Biochemistry at the University of Manchester, working on how integrins bind to ligands and signal. I then did my post-doc at UCSF, where I started working on integrins that bind and activate the cytokine TGF-beta. I made a conditional knockout mouse while I was there that got an intestinal inflammation phenotype, so I quickly morphed into becoming a mucosal immunologist…. which I have been ever since. [READ MORE]
In both the clinic and the lab, I study inflammatory complications in people with HIV and the impact of CD4 lymphopenia in HIV and other conditions, specifically a rare disorder of unclear etiology called idiopathic CD4 lymphopenia (ICL). Lots of work on biomarkers and immune-based therapies in these conditions hence my affinity for cytokines. I currently work at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and am the incoming chief of the Laboratories of Immunoregulation and Molecular Microbiology. [READ MORE]
I started attending ICIS meetings in 2017 and learned a great deal about cytokines and made many friends. I have also served as a Council Member of ICIS since last year and am currently leading the local organizing committee for Cytokines 2024 & KAI 2024. What has struck me the most over the years of my engagement with ICIS is the great emphasis the ICIS leadership places on helping young scientists and the loyalty of ICIS members to the society. It is like once you are in, you belong to the family. I wish I had joined ICIS earlier in my career.
What book or TV show are you reading/watching right now that you recommend? “Breaking through: My life in Science” by Katalin Kariko. It shows how important perseverance is in science. It is a powerful and inspiring book and, at the same time, an easy read for non-native English speakers like me.” [READ MORE]
The opportunity to attend and present at the meetings allowed me to showcase what the laboratory does that is unique. This was so helpful to meet other cytokine biologists who became collaborators and friends. The opportunity to organize the annual meeting was also a professional opportunity to develop networking skills [READ MORE]
My research is dedicated to the investigation of T cell functional subsets, especially follicular helper T cells, and to develop therapeutic strategies to modulate T cell function, including cytokine-based immunotherapies. More recently, my team has been interested in “systems immunology” to understand heterogeneous T cell functional states and assess variable individual immune phenotypes.
What is the best life/career advice you’ve ever received? I like a Chinese saying. Its English translation can be read as “Knowledge is important, but the importance of the path is no less than the knowledge itself”. This is similar to the English saying “Knowledge is power, but wisdom is the right use of knowledge.” [READ MORE]
I like to think of myself as bivalent – kind of like the COVID vaccine. A big chunk of my lab’s work focuses on the regulation of IL-9 and the functions of IL-9 in the context of autoimmune and autoinflammatory (rheumatic) diseases. But I also have a growing program studying the genetic architecture of autoimmune and autoinflammatory conditions, based on rare/monogenic variants. This includes managing one of the only coordinated adult-pediatric autoinflammatory diagnosis/treatment programs in the US. [READ MORE]
ICIS is a truly inclusive and global community of scientists. ICIS is exceptional at promoting trainees and faulty at all career stages and has promoted me and also trainees in my lab through awards and travel fellowships. The Cytokines meeting have been an unparalleled platform for networking with colleagues and identifying new collaborators… [READ MORE]
Favorite Cytokines Meeting: While I have loved each of the meetings, the most memorable was in Kanazawa, Japan 2017 because that is when I met several of my IFN idols: Ludmila Prokunina-Olsson (NIH), Sergei Kotenko (Rutgers), and Rune Hartmann (Aarhus University). [READ MORE]
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