Kathleen A. Hoag MT (ASCP, Ph.D., CLS (NCA))
Associate Professor
Phone: (517) 353-3276
Fax: (517) 432-2006
e-mail: hoagk@msu.edu

Research interests lie in Immunology and Nutritional Immunology, with special focus on the function of Vitamin A in the immune system. Vitamin A deficient individuals and laboratory animals exhibit poor antibody responses to vaccination, and have increased incidence and severity of infectious disease. The inferior antibody responses have been correlated with decreased B lymphocyte clonal expansion, which in turn has been correlated with decreased T helper 2 (Th2) lymphocyte numbers. Current experiments are aimed at identifying the role of vitamin A in differentiation of naīve CD4+T lymphocytes to the Th2 phenotype. In particular, experiments aimed at discovering the role of vitamin A in dendritic cell development, maturation, and antigen-presenting function for driving Th2 development are currently underway.

Current methodologies being employed:

In vitro culture of dendritic cells form murine bone marrow stem cells

Flow-cytometric analysis of dendritic cell costimulatory molecule expression

In vitro and invivo T helper lymphocyte differentiation

Analysis of cytokine secretion profiles by ELISA

DNA micro array analysis of dendritic cell maturation +/- vitamin A

In vivo dendritic cell characterization in Vitamin A sufficient and deficient mice

In 2005, Dr. Hoag received the Teacher-Scholar Award.

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