Helen Su, MD, PhD

Chief, Human Immunological Diseases Section

suOur research program is focused on understanding how the human immune system is normally regulated to control virus infections. We do this by studying patients who have life-threatening susceptibility to infections, whom we can consider as “experiments of nature.” By applying genomic technologies, we are able to identify candidate genetic determinants for their poor outcome. This information serves as a springboard for mechanistic studies in a variety of systems to understand how the mutant product interferes with normal host antiviral immunity. We have used this approach to define a number of conditions such as the predilection for skin-tropic viruses in DOCK8 deficiency or severe respiratory virus infections in MDA5 deficiency.

Suggested Penn mentors: Sarah Cherry