The Krupnick Lab
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About the Krupnick Lab
The Krupnick laboratory was established in 2007 at Washington University in St. Louis and relocated to The University of Maryland in June 2020. The laboratory focuses its translational research on two clinically relevant areas: Immunotherapy for Thoracic Malignancies and Lung Transplant Immunoregulation. In 2007, along with the laboratories of Daniel Kreisel and Andrew Gelman, the Krupnick laboratory developed the world’s first model of physiologic, vascularized, orthotopic lung transplantation in the mouse (1). This model is now utilized by multiple laboratories around the world to further understand lung transplantation physiology and develop new drugs to treat rejection. The model has been used by our laboratory to unravel lung transplant-specific immune responses, including the role of CD8+ T cells and eosinophils in the establishment and maintenance of tolerance (2),(3) and continues to be used to design better immunosuppression and immunomodulatory strategies for the lung.
Despite the unfortunate fact that lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer-specific death in the United States, limited data is available on how lung cancer evades the immune response as it grows and progresses. To address this problem the Krupnick laboratory began a dedicated research focus to better understand the lung cancer-specific immune response in 2010. We discovered several unique features of lung cancer, including the critical role of natural killer cells in controlling lung cancer development and growth (4), the importance of natural killer cell education, or “licensing” in the control of lung cancer (5) as well as unique genetic differences in natural killer cell physiology that may make some individuals more susceptible to lung cancer (6). Utilizing this knowledge in 2015 the laboratory developed a first-in-class retargeted cytokine designed to stimulate natural killer cells specifically and precisely for the treatment of lung cancer (7). The cytokine is currently in the GMP phase of production and is slated for human clinical trials in early 2022.
Publications
Grant Supports
The lab is fortunate and thankful for continuing grant support from the National Institute of Health and the Veteran’s System for Health Care Administration, industry, as well as grateful patients and benefactors.
Active Funding
NIH, National Institute of Allery and Infectious Diseases
P01 AI116501: Pathways Regulating Lung Transplant Tolerance (https://www.grantome.com/grant/NIH/P01-AI116501-05-6223)
Inflammatory Cellular Mechanisms for Establishing and Maintaining Lung Allograft Tolerance
NIH, National Institute of Allery and Infectious Diseases
R01 AI145108-01: The Role of Eosinophils in the Lung Allograft (https://grantome.com/grant/NIH/R01-AI145108-01)
Incyte Corporation: The Role of JAK Inhibition in Chronic Lung Allograft Rejection (https://www.incyte.com/)
VA Health System
I01 BX002299-05: Mechanisms of Immunosurveillance for Lung Cancer-the Role of CD8+ T Cells in Tumor Tolerance Induction
NIH, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
05/01/20 - 04/30/25 | P01 AI116501: (NIAID) Pathways Regulating Lung Transplant Tolerance
Project #2: Inflammatory Cellular Mechanisms for Establishing and Maintaining Lung Allograft Tolerance
NIH, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
01/02/19 – 12/31/24 | R01AI145108-01: The Role of Eosinophils in the Lung Allograft
VA Health System
10/01/21-9/30/25 | I01 BX002299-05: Mechanisms of Immunosurveillance for Lung Cancer-the Role of CD8+ T Cells in Tumor Tolerance Induction
NIH, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
9/01/21-6/30/28 | U01AI163086-01 (site of consortium): Targeting Inflammation and Alloimmunity in Lung Transplant Recipients With Clazakizumab
NIH, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
9/1/2022-8/31/2027 | R01 HL166402-0: Targeting a Defined Surgical Stress-Induced Inflammatory Pathway to Improve Peri-Operative Outcomes
Completed Grant Support
11/01/19 – 10/31/20 UVA Engineering in Medicine Seed Grant: Targeting the Thy-1/Integrin Signaling Axis in Chronic Lung Transplant Rejection
04/01/19 - 03/31/20 VA Health System 1 IO1 IBX0104588A High-dose targeted and non-toxic IL-2 cytokine therapy
09/01/18 – 08/31/19 NIH NCI R41 CA224520-01A1 NCI Novel Immuno-oncology Strategy for Targeted Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Activation”
2018-2019 CIC Collaborative Research Award University of Virginia Cancer Center
2013-2017 VA Merit Grant, 1I01BX002299-01 Mechanisms of Immunosurveillance for Lung Cancer2012-2016 NIH 2012-2016 NIAAD R01HL113931Mechanisms of Lung Allograft Acceptance
2009-2011 American Thoracic Society Lungevity Foundation Research Grant: The Basis for Immunotherapy of Lung Cancer
2009-2011 Mallinkrodt Institute of Radiology Internal Pilot Research Grant
2009-2011 NIH National Cancer Institute American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Administrative Supplement for KO8CA131097
2008-2013 NIH National Cancer Institute, KO8CA131097, The Role of Non-Hematopoietic Cells in Tumor Tolerance Induction
2008-2013 Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education NIH KO8 Matching Funds
2008-2010 American Association of Thoracic Surgeons Norman E. Shumway Research Scholarship
2007-2008 American Cancer Society Internal Research Grant from the Siteman Cancer Center
2005-2007 Career Development Grant Melanoma Research Foundation
2004-2006 American Society of Transplant Surgeons Novartis Fellowship in Transplantation
2004-2006 NIH National Loan Repayment Program (NLRP)
2001-2003 American Society of Transplant Surgeon Thoracic Surg Fellowship
1999-2002 NIH National Research Service Award-#F32 HL 10251-01, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Tissue Engineering for Diaphragmatic Reconstruction
Positions
The laboratory is now looking for post-doctoral trainees with an interest in lung transplantation and immune tolerance.
Contact Us
670 W Baltimore Street , HSF 3 Building, 7th Floor,
Room 7130,Baltimore,MD, 21201
Phone: 410-328-6366
Fax: 410-328-0693
Director of the Krupnick Lab: Sasha Krupnick, MD