Autoimmune diseases arise when the body attacks itself. We are uncovering the biological signals that drive autoimmunity to determine why the cells of the immune system turn on other cells of the body and cause harm.
Our scientists are uncovering the biological signals that drive autoimmunity and determine how the immune system recognizes “self” from “threat.” These insights are opening new paths toward treatments for lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease and other autoimmune disorders, while revealing the powerful role the microbiome may play in shaping them.
For more information on our research programs, please contact us.
How the nervous and immune systems coordinate inflammation
In the latest Front Row lecture, assistant professor Alejandra Mendoza explores how neuro-immune cellular circuits regulate inflammation, pain, and immunity. By bridging neuroscience and immunology, her research is revealing how our bodies interpret signals from the environment to guide immune decisions, from fighting infections to controlling tumor growth and chronic inflammatory diseases.
There are hardly any other academic institutions in the world that have the multidisciplinary expertise to discover a new disease-modifying compound and generate clinical data in support of its development.
Our scientists are decoding why the immune system turns against the body, and using those insights to develop treatments that repair damage, restore protective barriers and retrain immune responses.
Inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are rising worldwide. Our scientists are pursuing approaches that go beyond managing inflammation alone. This includes advancing a regenerative medicine designed to restore the damaged epithelial lining of the gut, as well as exploring how the microbiome influences intestinal health and disease, opening new possibilities for treatments that rebalance the microbial environment.
Multiple sclerosis occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks myelin, the protective coating that surrounds nerve fibers, disrupting communication within the brain and spinal cord. Scientists at Scripps Research are developing a regenerative medicine designed to restore lost myelin by activating the body’s natural repair pathways, representing an approach that could complement existing therapies. Scripps Research scientists also played a key role in developing ozanimod, an immune-modulating drug now approved to treat both multiple sclerosis and ulcerative colitis.
Researchers are uncovering the molecular origins of autoimmune diseases such as lupus. By identifying the proteins, enzymes and signaling pathways that drive the immune system’s attack on healthy tissue, scientists are working to develop targeted therapies designed to interrupt these processes at their source.
Rheumatoid arthritis develops when the immune system targets the joints, leading to chronic inflammation and progressive damage. Researchers are investigating the immune pathways that trigger and sustain this response, with the goal of stopping the disease before lasting injury occurs. One promising strategy uses nanotechnology to selectively target the immune cells responsible for driving autoimmune reactions, while leaving the rest of the immune system intact. In animal models, this approach has delayed and even prevented the development of arthritis.
