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Phillip
Scott, Ph.D.
Professor of Immunology
Associate Dean for Research
School of Veterinary Medicine
Microbiology,
Virology and Parasitology Program
Address
310B Hill Pavilion
School of Veterinary Medicine
380 S. University Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office tel.: 215 898-1602 and 215 898-9793
Lab tel.: 215 898-0526
Fax: 215 746-2294
E-mail: pscott@vet.upenn.edu
Assistant: Gayle Joseph
Education
Villanova University: BS (Biology), 1975.
University of Pennsylvania: PhD (Parasitology), 1980.
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Research
Interests
- T cells and cytokines in infectious disease
- Host-pathogen interactions
- Development of Th1 and Th2 cells
- Memory T cells
Key words: parasites, Leishmania, T cells,
Th1 cells, Th2 cells, memory T cells.
Search PubMed for articles
Description
of Research
Dr. Scott's current research is focused on understanding
the development, regulation and maintenance of CD4+ Th1 and
Th2 cells in order to design new vaccines and immunotherapies
for infectious diseases. The laboratory primarily focuses
on experimental murine infections with the protozoan parasite,
Leishmania, which provides a well-characterized model
of T helper cell differentiation. The use of IL-12 as an adjuvant
to promote Th1 cell development, as well as the ability of
combined drug and IL-12 therapy to promote a Th2 to Th1 switch,
was first shown in this laboratory. Both findings have implications
for the control and treatment of infectious diseases, autoimmunity
and allergy. While much has been learned about the development
of Th1 cells, our understanding of how to maintain Th1 responses-or
cell-mediated immunity-is limited. This is highlighted by
the fact that there is no vaccine for human leishmaniasis.
Dr. Scott's laboratory is investigating the role of cytokines,
antigen-dose, CD8+ T cells and antigen persistence in the
development of immunologic memory. These studies indicate
that a population of lymph node homing memory T cells, which
have been called central memory T cells, are generated during
Leishmania infection, and can be maintained in the
absence of parasites. Future studies are directed at determining
how to increase this population of memory T cells following
vaccination. In related experiments, this laboratory has demonstrated
that a Leishmania mutant, which lacks phosphoglycans
and fails to induce disease, is maintained in vivo and protects
mice against challenge with virulent organisms. Studies are
in progress to characterize the immunity induced by these
mutant parasites. Finally, studies are ongoing to understand
how different species of Leishmania influence T helper
cell subset development. While L. major induces a
Th1 response and a healing infection in many strains of mice,
the same strains of mice infected with parasites belonging
to the L. mexicana complex fail to develop a Th1
response or heal. Thus, the laboratory is focused on defining
the parasite virulence factors that modulate T helper cell
development by different species of Leishmania.
Recent
Publications
Artis, D., L.M. Johnson, K. Joyce, C. Saris, A. Villarino, C. A. Hunter, and P. Scott. 2004. Cutting Edge: Early IL-4 production governs the requirement for IL-27/WSX-1 signaling in the development of protective Th1 cytokine responses following Leishmania major infection. J. Immunol. 172:4672-4675
Uzonna, J.E., K. Joyce, and P. Scott. 2004 Low dose Leishmania major promotes a transient T helper cell type 2 response that is downregulated by interferon-g producing CD8+ T cells. Journal of Experimental Medicine. 199:1559-1566.
Zaph, C., J. Uzonna, S. M. Beverley and P. Scott. 2004. Central memory T cells mediate long-term immunity to Leishmania major in the absence of persistent parasites. Nature Medicine 10:1104-1110.
Gray PM, Reiner SL, Smith DF, Kaye PM, Scott P. 2006 Antigen-experienced T cells limit the priming of naive T cells during infection with Leishmania major. J Immunol. 15;177(2):925-33.
Johnson, LM and Scott, P. 2007 STAT1 expression in dendritic cells, but not T cells, is required for immunity to Leishmania major. J Immunol. 178 (11):7259-66.
Lab
Rotation
Projects
Lab rotation projects will involve studies related to:
- Th1 or Th2 cell development following infection with
Leishmania major
- Studies of memory T cell development and
maintenance
- Studies that define differences in Leishmania species
that influence the nature of the immune response.
Lab
personnel:
Lucas Carvalho- Postdoctoral Fellow
Leanne Johnson- graduate student IGG
Nazzy Pakpour- graduate student CAMB
Alice Hsu- graduate student IGG
Sara Colpitts- graduate student IGG
Carlos Rodriguez- Lab Manager
last updated 8/2007
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