Dennis Spencer, MD
Harvey and Kate Cushing Professor of Neurosurgery

Mentee:

Lei Chen

Dr. Pober’s research interests include the immunobiology of vascular endothelial cells, cytokine actions and mechanisms, and transplantation immunology; with much of his research work primarily focused on three related topics; 1) analyzing the capacities of human endothelial cells to serve as antigen presenting cells (APCs), resulting in the activation of T cells; 2) the activation of endothelial cells by T cells and their products (e.g., cytokines), in particular TNF signaling pathways; and 3) on endothelial injury and resistance to injury, especially how TNF and IFN-γ may interact to initiate caspase-dependent and cathepsin B-dependent cell death responses, and how these responses may be manipulated by therapies. He is currently the P.I. on three NIH R01 grants, one NIH P01 grant and is also the core or project leader on various NIH center grants. In addition to mentoring several junior faculty members, Dr. Pober has trained approximately fifty individuals over the past 28 years and mentored trainees at the senior/extended post-doc level, typically holding the rank of Associate Research Scientist, post-doctoral fellows, PhD and MD/PhD including 10 or more from Harvard and Yale.