Christopher A. Hunter
Professor and Chair, Dept of Pathobiology

Microbiology, Virology and Parasitology Program

Address

310F Hill Pavilion
380 S. University Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Office tel.: 215 573-7772
Lab tel.: 215 573-5139
Fax: 215 746-2295
E-mail: chunter@vet.upenn.edu

Education

University of Glasgow: BSc (Zoology), 1985.

University of Glasgow: PhD (Parasitology), 1989.

Research Interests

• Host-pathogen interactions
• Cytokines
• Innate and adaptive immunity to infection

Key words: infection, toxoplasma, immunity, cytokines, T cells, innate immunity, adaptive immunity, pathogen.

Search PubMed for articles

Description of Research

The Hunter laboratory has several areas of research that center around understanding how the immune system deals with T. gondii. The first focuses on host pathogen interactions at the cellular level and how the parasite interacts with intracellular signaling pathways (NF-kB/JAK-STAT). In collaboration with the Roos laboratory, genetic approaches are being used to identify parasite factors that are involved in these events. This is part of work in progress which has used transgenic parasites to address fundamental questions about which cells are important in the initiation of adaptive immunity and the role of cross-presentation in the development of T cell responses. These latter studies compliment the work in the laboratory that has helped to define the cytokine networks that regulate the balance between protective and pathological immune responses and current studies focus on the IL-6 family of cytokines in these events. Lastly the laboratory is interested in better understanding the pathogenesis of toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) in the immunocompromised patients who develop this disease. This work has also led the laboratory to try and apply what we have learned in TE to better understand the neuro-pathogenesis of African sleeping sickness.

Recent Publications

Villarino, Alejandro V. Tato, Cristina M. Stumhofer, Jason S. Yao, Zhengju. Cui, Yongzhi K. Hennighausen, Lothar. O'Shea, John J. Hunter, Christopher A.: Helper T cell IL-2 production is limited by negative feedback and STAT-dependent cytokine signals. Journal of Experimental Medicine 204(1): 65-71, Jan 22 2007.

Dzierszinski, F., Pepper, M., La Rosa, D., Wilson, E., Bzik, D., Turka, L., Hunter, CA. and Roos, D.: Antigen presentation through MHC class I occurs via the endogenous pathway in non-hematopoietic cells and professional phagocytes infected with Toxoplasma gondii Infection Immunity 75: 5200-9, 2007.

Stumhofer, J.S., J.S. Silver, A. Laurence, P.M. Porrett, T.H. Harris, L.A. Turka, M. Ernst, C.J. Saris, J.J. O'Shea, and C.A. Hunter.: Interleukins 27 and 6 induce STAT3-mediated T cell production of interleukin 10. Nat Immunol Page: 1363-1371, 11 2007.

Kastelein, Robert A. Hunter, Christopher A. Cua, Daniel J.: Discovery and biology of IL-23 and IL-27: related but functionally distinct regulators of inflammation. [Review] [86 refs] Annual Review of Immunology 25: 221-42, 2007.

Masek, Katherine S. Fiore, Jim. Leitges, Michael. Yan, Shi-Fang. Freedman, Bruce D. Hunter, Christopher A.: Host cell Ca2+ and protein kinase C regulate innate recognition of Toxoplasma gondii. Journal of Cell Science 119(Pt 21): 4565-73, Nov 1 2006.

Lab

Rotation Projects

Depends on student interests - but would focus on host-pathogen interactions or the role of cytokines in the regulation of immunity. Students are encouraged to talk to Dr. Hunter.

Lab personnel:

Qun Fang - technician
Elia Tait - graduate student
Kim Jordan - graduate student
Ryan Whitmarsh - graduate student
Jon Silver - graduate student
Beena John - research associate
Tajie Harrris - post-doctoral fellow
Jason Stumhofer - post-doctoral fellow
Louise Randall - post-doctoral fellow
Sara Passos - post-doctoral fellow