Maria Ciofani

Associate Professor of Integrative Immunobiology
Maria Ciofani
Maria Ciofani

Overview

Transcriptional Regulation of Proinflammatory Lymphocytes

IL-17-expressing CD4 T helper (Th17) cells are important members of the intestinal immune cell community that contribute to protection against bacterial and fungal infections, and maintenance of intestinal homeostasis.  Although central to immunity, dysregulted Th17 cell function has been implicated in tissue inflammation and autoimmune disease (e.g. Inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis).  In order to understand this balance between healthy and pathogenic responses, we are interested in defining the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that govern (1) Th17 cell specification from naive T cell precursors and, (2) Th17 cell effector plasticity during inflammation.  Combining genome-wide interrogation of regulatory information (transcription factor occupancy, chromatin accessibility, and transcriptional output) with gene-deficiency models in mice, we can dissect the contribution of key transcriptional regulators in proinflammatory T cell function.

We currently have open positions for students, postdoctoral fellows and a research technician.


Positions

Associate Professor of Integrative Immunobiology in the School of Medicine

2020 School of Medicine

Associate Professor of Cell Biology in the School of Medicine

2022 School of Medicine

Member of the Duke Cancer Institute in the School of Medicine

2013 School of Medicine

Education

Ph.D. 2007

2007 University of Toronto (Canada)

Publications, Grants & Awards

Offices & Contact

128 Jones Bldg, 207 Researchr, 3010 DUMC
Durham, NC
27710