The Immunology Podcast

Guest:

Dr. Shabaana Khader is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Microbiology at the University of Chicago. She discusses how the immune system responds to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, why tuberculosis remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, and the challenges of developing more effective vaccines. She highlights the role of lung-resident immunity, including Th17 responses and lymphoid structures, in controlling infection, and explains how advances in our understanding of host–pathogen interactions are guiding the design of next-generation TB vaccines.

Featured Products and Resources:

Learn about STEMCELL’s optimized protocols and reagents for immunotherapy research.

Download a free Nature Reviews Immunology T cell nomenclature wallpaper.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Personalized HPV Cancer Vaccine – A multifunctional nanovaccine combining HPV antigens, tumor membranes, and bacterial adjuvants generates durable anti-tumor immunity against HPV-associated cervical cancer.

HIV Rewires T Cell Identity – HIV can reprogram infected CD4+ T cells into CD8+ T cells, revealing a previously unrecognized component of the viral reservoir.

Decoding Acute Pancreatitis – A single-cell atlas of severe acute pancreatitis identifies a TNF-α–driven immune-endothelial circuit that causes microvascular failure and disease progression.

Discovery of Ruptoblasts – A newly discovered cell type, the ruptoblast, protects planarians through an explosive cytotoxic mechanism termed ruptosis.

Image courtesy of Dr. Shabaana Khader









































Subscribe to our newsletter!

Never miss updates about new episodes.

Subscribe

Guest:

Dr. Samuel Nobs is an Assistant Professor and Group Leader at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Switzerland. He discusses how microbes in the lungs and gut may shape respiratory immunity and influence susceptibility to infections and chronic lung diseases. He highlights his lab’s work to uncover the mechanisms behind these interactions using microbiome analysis and advanced experimental models.

Featured Products and Resources:

Download a practical guide on everything you need to know about cell isolation techniques.

Download a free wallchart on the production of CAR T cells.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Rabbit Immunity Evolves – Wild rabbits rapidly evolved resistance to myxoma virus through changes in highly diverse MHC immune genes.

Antifungal Receptors Improve Vaccines – Targeting antifungal immune receptors with a mannan-based adjuvant boosts the strength, durability, and variant coverage of mRNA vaccine responses.

Mapping Tumor Macrophage Diversity – Scientists have revealed how diverse tumor-associated macrophage subtypes promote tumor growth, immune suppression, and metastasis through interactions within the tumor microenvironment.

Dietary Soy Shapes Immunity – Dietary soy shapes the gut microbiome to boost IgA-mediated immunity and enhance protection against intestinal infection in early life.

Image courtesy of Dr. Samuel Nobs.









































Subscribe to our newsletter!

Never miss updates about new episodes.

Subscribe

Guest:

Dr. Tullia Bruno is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh. She discusses how B cells and tertiary lymphoid structures shape anti-tumor immunity within solid tumors, challenging the traditional T cell–centric view of cancer immunology. She highlights how these immune niches influence responses to immunotherapy, the importance of spatial organization within the tumor microenvironment, and emerging strategies to therapeutically induce tertiary lymphoid structures to improve cancer treatment.

Featured Products and Resources:

Subscribe for a chance to win a pair of STEMCELL science socks.

Request a free EasySep EV isolation kit sample to try in your own lab.

The Immunology Science Round Up

Feeding Boosts T Cell Immunity – Postprandial metabolism enhances T cell fitness and improves effector and CAR-T cell function through chylomicron-driven metabolic reprogramming.

Chemokines Control T Cell Priming – CCR7 signaling limits CD8+ T cell interactions with dendritic cells to preserve effective effector and memory responses.

Helminths Boost Offspring Immunity – Maternal helminth-driven microbiome changes protect offspring from respiratory viruses through the metabolite indole-3-propionic acid.

Enhancing CAR T Persistence – CAR-modified stem-cell memory T cells show improved persistence, expansion, and anti-tumor responses compared to standard CAR T cells.

Image courtesy of Dr. Tullia Bruno.









































Subscribe to our newsletter!

Never miss updates about new episodes.

Subscribe

Guest:

Dr. Alfred Singer is a Senior Investigator at the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research. He discusses his pioneering work on thymus development and T cell differentiation, including how T cells are selected to become CD4 helper or CD8 cytotoxic cells through MHC-restricted signaling. He shares the evolution of key concepts in the field, such as the “kinetic signaling” model of lineage commitment, and offers insights into T cell receptor signaling, regulatory T cell development, and the complexities of immune cell fate decisions.

Featured Products and Resources:

Receive a free 250 mL bottle of Lymphoprep plus a free SepMate tube to try in your own lab.

Achieve simple, reliable EV isolation with EasySep kits from STEMCELL Technologies.

The Immunology Science Round Up

CEACAM6 Enables Viral Entry – Bat alphacoronavirus enters human cells via CEACAM6, revealing potential for zoonotic transmission.

Cross-Dressing Drives T Cell Priming – mRNA vaccines activate CD8+ T cells through redundant dendritic cell pathways and cross-dressing mechanisms.

Unlocking NK Antitumor Responses – Removing tumor Tregs unleashes NK cell responses to control cancers, including MHC I–deficient tumors.

RUNX1 Controls Immune Aging – A single-cell immune aging clock identifies RUNX1 as a key regulator of T cell senescence and rejuvenation.

Image courtesy of Dr. Alfred Singer









































Subscribe to our newsletter!

Never miss updates about new episodes.

Subscribe

In April 2026, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2026, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists, in Boston. We spoke with delegates about their research and impressions of the meeting, including why they attended, the most memorable science they encountered, and their experiences in Boston.

Featured Products and Resources:

Stay up-to-date with the latest in cell therapy news.

Access a collection of checklists and guides to ensure you’re prepared for your next conference.









































Subscribe to our newsletter!

Never miss updates about new episodes.

Subscribe