Infection, inflammation, and immunity research

When a child's immune system doesn't work properly, the consequences can be fatal. But investigators at Children's Wisconsin Research Institute are working hard to advance our knowledge of immunology and improve diagnostic testing and care.

The immune system plays a critical role in a wide range of clinical conditions, including cancer, transplantation, allergic and autoimmune disease, and vaccination. Our research ranges from basic science studies that dissect essential genetic programs to clinical studies that test new approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of immunologically mediated diseases.

Research highlights include:

• The nationally known Clinical Immunodiagnostic and Research Laboratory, which is recognized as a Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic Center for Primary Immunodeficiencies
• Ongoing study of the development of the complex network of immune cells in the newborn and the mechanisms that work to eliminate infection while avoiding pathologic self-reactivity
• Translational research related to the gut microbiome and its connection to inflammatory bowel diseases