Getahun Lab
Principal Investigator: Andrew Getahun
Institution: University of Colorado Anschutz (Aurora, CO)
Primary Subfield: Immunology
Recruitment Status: Inquire for rotation/fellowship opportunities
Research Focus
B lymphocytes are critical players in the development of protective immunity, as well as in pathological states such as autoimmunity. Careful regulation of the strength and quality of biochemical signals that originate from their antigen receptors (BCR) is essential to prevent the unwanted activation of potentially harmful autoreactive B cells, and to generate optimally protective antibody responses. Inhibitory signaling mechanisms play a central role in regulating BCR signaling. Best characterized is the role of Immunoreceptor Tyrosine-based Inhibitory Motif (ITIM)-containing inhibitory receptors that become activated upon co-aggregation with actively signaling BCRs. The BCR-associated Src-family kinase Lyn tyrosine phosphorylates their ITIM motifs, resulting in the recruitment of phosphatases such as the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 and the inositol phosphatase SHIP-1 that actively suppress BCR signaling. SHIP-1 activity is increased in autoreactive B cells and plays a critical role in maintaining B cell tolerance by suppressing PI3K-dependent signaling. How SHIP-1 is activated in autoreactive B cells is still unclear. BCR stimulation by itself, without recruitment of known ITIM-co…
Active NIH Awards
- 5R01AI182423-03: CD79A as a molecular switch regulating B cell activation (2026)
- 1R21AI194208-01A1: Characterizing the phosphorylation profile of CD79A/B in B cells at rest and following antigen receptor stimulation (2026)
- 5R01AI182423-02: CD79A as a molecular switch regulating B cell activation (2025)
- 1R01AI182423-01: CD79A as a molecular switch regulating B cell activation (2024)
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