Lauren Higdon, PhD

Lauren Higdon, PhD, is an immunologist with expertise in T cell biology in both mouse models and human subjects. Her research interests lie in immune tolerance, and in particular the impact of immune aging on tolerance. Current evidence suggests that in distinct circumstances, immune aging can either induce or break tolerance. Elucidation of the mechanism behind these distinctions may suggest new avenues to induce tolerance.

Lauren is part of the Immune Tolerance Network, planning and coordinating mechanistic analysis of samples from ITN clinical trials. Trials are in the areas of allergy, autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes, and transplantation. Lauren's primary focus is trials in type 1 diabetes. She is working to expand collaborations between ITN and researchers based at UCSF.