James Mathew, PhD
Research Professor, Surgery
Research Program
- Associate Members
Cancer-Focused Research
Dr. Mathew's research for the past three decades has been in the areas of immune responsiveness and tolerance in clinical organ transplantation. The major thrust has been on the immunological effects of donor bone marrow and hematopoietic stem cell infusions in transplant patients. Another key focus has been on the differential susceptibility of regulatory T cells (Tregs) to various immunosuppressive drugs currently used in clinical transplantation. More recent efforts have been on the use of polyclonally and antigen-specifically expanded autologous Tregs for tolerance induction in clinical transplantation, autoimmunity, and allergic diseases. Dr. Mathew is a co-investigator in the Bvax clinical trials to be conducted by Dr. Catalina Lee-Chang for glioblastoma (Bvax for glioblastoma) and other solid tumors. His expertise in developing GMP compliant ex vivo B cell expansion technology and clinical trial performances are to be leveraged in these anti-tumor immunotherapies. As the Director of the Immune Monitoring Core of the Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Dr. Mathew also provides immune monitoring support for most of the clinical trials undertaken by the faculty members of the CTC and of many other departments at Northwestern University. In addition, he is developing biomarkers of immune responsiveness and tolerance in various clinical conditions.