Welcome to Shinohara Lab

 2025

• Why is the brain vulnerable to Cryptococcus infection? — Stef’s (Estefany Reyes) new paper was published in the Cell Host & Microbe December 2025 issue. “Cryptococcus exploits delayed microglial activation, and microglial osteopontin/Spp1 impairs peripheral host control”  Link 

• Yike (Jiang) started her new position as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine Link
• What immunological mechanisms connect fungal infections and autoimmunity? — Devon (DiPalma) and Miranda (Lumbreras) published a review article, “Interplay between fungal infections and autoimmunity: mechanisms and therapeutic perspectives,” in EMBO Molecular Medicine Link
• Stef (Estefany Reyes) successfully defended her PhD dissertation. 

Earlier

• We welcomed Emily (Troutman), a new PhD student, in Spring 2024.
• Alvaro, a medical student from Peru, arrived Durham in January 2023 for his short-term research training.
• We welcomed Emily (Wert), a new lab manager, in October 2023.
• Jon(nathan) Messerschmidt was awarded NIH-F30 fellowship. Congrats, Jon!!
• Miranda (Lumbrerase) was awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Congratulations, Miranda!!  
• Want to know more about osteopontin (OPN/SPP1)? — Here is our recent review written by Elliot (Lin), Wen (Xi), and Nupur (Aggarwal), “Osteopontin (OPN)/SPP1: from its biochemistry to biological functions in the innate immune system and the central nervous system (CNS)” Link 
• Two-night-3 day retreat in December 2022

• A new paper (Dectin-1 signaling in neutrophils up-regulates PD-L1 and triggers ROS-mediated suppression of CD4 + T cells by Elizabeth and Emre is here (Sep. 2022): https://jlb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/JLB.3A0322-152RR
• Our new review article by Stef is about fungal infections in the central nervous system. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imr.13101
• Jeremy (Ratiu) defended his PhD dissertation. Congrats, Jeremy!!  (July 2022)
• Check out Will’s new paper at JCI Insight about AIM2 inflammasome activation in astrocytes during EAE. https://insight.jci.org/articles/view/155563
• A new paper by Nupur and Elizabeth on osteopontin in graft-versus-host disease and GI inflammation is now available in Cell Reports: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110170

• Will (Barclay) defended his dissertation for his PhD. Congrats, Dr. Barclay! (October, 2021)