Autoimmunity: The immune system protects the organism from harmful event and tolerates what is beneficial. Tolerance is generated in the thymus and autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system attacks our own organism. Our laboratory is trying to understand the mechanisms underlying autoimmune diseases – specifically Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Using a mouse model of lupus we found that when mice become sick the thymus involutes, loosing its normal structure and undergoing an accumulation of B-lymphocytes. Our recent results show that treatment of mice with bacterial products, viral RNA analogs, or induction of lupus produces a phenomenon similar to thymic involution. Understanding the physiological role of this process in autoimmunity is the focus of this project. Immune System and Cancer: The immune system can recognize and eliminate tumor cells. Cytotoxic CD8+ T cells are among the most relevant cell population in charge of tumor destruction. However, cancer usually progresses despite the presence of these cells. Adenosine, a molecule found in the tumor microenvironment, reduces the cytotoxic potential of CD8+ T cells affecting current immunotherapies against cancer. Our aim is to determine the role of Adenosine in this process and how to improve cancer Immunotherapy.

Mario Rosemblatt is a Biochemist from University of Chile with a PhD from Wayne State University, USA. He held positions as Research Fellow in Medicine at Harvard Medical School and as Research Associate of the Association pour le Research contre le Cancer, Paris. He founded and was the first Director of the Career in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering at the University of Chile. Founding Partner and Executive Director of the Fundación Ciencia & Vida. With training in Immunology, at present he directs the PhD Program in Immunology and Microbiology at Universidad San Sebastián.

Dr. Rosemblatt is a well-known Chilean immunologist that specially enjoys teaching. He teaches a graduate Course in Advanced Immunology that not only explains the current developments and theories in the field but also highlights – through discussions of the current literature – an overview of the methods and approaches used in today’s immunology research. Student participation is accomplished though the discussion and interpretation of recent papers. Required of all first year students in the Immunology and Microbiology Program.