Stehlik & Dorfleutner Lab

The collaborative Stehlik and Dorfleutner Laboratory of molecular innate immunology employs a team-based approach to the science of studying the mechanisms of innate immune responses in health and disease. Phagocytic immune cells (such as monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells) encode cytosolic pattern recognition receptors (including Nod-like receptors, absent in melanoma 2-like receptors and pyrin) that sense danger signals and pathogens. Their activation leads to the assembly of the inflammasome complex, which is responsible for the processing and release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18, which in turn recruit and activate innate immune cells. While acute, localized and temporary inflammation is beneficial and contributes to pathogen clearance, wound healing and tissue repair, chronic and inappropriate inflammation is linked to tissue destruction and inflammatory and immune disease. Therefore, an important goal of our studies is to define strategies to limit these excessive and uncontrolled inflammatory responses to provide novel avenues for therapeutic intervention.

The Stehlik and Dorfleutner Laboratory is affiliated with the Cedars-Sinai Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute.