Qing Ma, Ph.D. 1995, Thomas Jefferson University The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Contact Information

Research Interests:

• Chemokine and cytokine biology
• Transplant immunology
• Cancer biology
• Hematopoiesis
• Stem cell biology
  
  

My primary interest is to characterize the function of chemokine receptors in immune response. They play major roles in pathogenesis of many inflammatory disorders by regulating differentiation, activation and migration of hematopoietic cells. We have identified chemokine receptor CXCR4 as a coreceptor for HIV-1 entry. Mice deficient in CXCR4 die perinatally with defects in B-lymphopoiesis and myelopoiesis. Reconstitution of mice with CXCR4-deficient stem cells demonstrates the role of CXCR4 in retaining hematopoietic precursors within the bone marrow microenvironment for proper maturation. We will further elucidate SDF-1/CXCR4 pathway in regulating hematopoiesis including stem cell mobilization, engraftment and plasticity. In addition, I am also interested in cancer immunology and translational research. We are characterizing other chemokine receptors, such as CCR5 and CCR7, which regulate the function of naïve, effector and memory T cells. The overall goal is to understand molecular mechanisms of T cell mediated immune response and develop novel methods for immunotherapy.

Depending on the student?s interests, a tutorial in my laboratory would provide experience with molecular biology, cellular immunology, mammalian cell culture, flow cytometry, murine model of human disease. In addition, the tutorial will focus on developing a research project to make fundamental discoveries in basic science and translate the knowledge into clinic.

Selected Publications:

Ma Q, Jones D, Borghesani PR, Segal RA, Nagasawa T, Kishimoto T, Bronson RT, Springer TA (1998). Impaired B-lymphopoiesis, myelopoiesis, and derailed cerebellar neuron migration in CXCR4- and SDF-1-deficient mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95, 9448-9453.

Ma Q, Jones D, Springer TA (1999). The chemokine receptor CXCR4 is required for the retention of B-lineage and granulocytic precursors within the bone marrow microenvironment. Immunity 10, 463-471.

Ma Q, Shimaoka M, Lu C, Jing H, Carman CV and Springer TA (2002). Activation-induced conformational changes in the I domain region of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1. J Biol Chem. 277, 10638-10641.

Program Affiliation:

Program in Immunology