New Vaccine Design Reduces Inflammation, Enhances Protection

Trial to Test Nasal Irrigation to Treat COVID

UCI Develops Low-Cost, Accurate COVID-19 Antibody Detection Platform

Lela Kardava, Ph.D.

Staff Scientist, B-Cell Immunology Section

Major Areas of Research

  • B cells in HIV pathogenesis
  • B-cell responses to vaccination
  • B cells in primary immunodeficiencies
     

Program Description

Our research mainly focuses on the phenotypic and functional characterization of B-cell subsets in the HIV pathogenesis. We utilize a variety of highly sensitive assays to study the role of B cells in HIV-infected individuals and other human diseases. We apply our knowledge in virus-specific B cells to examine B-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine.

Biography

Dr. Kardava received her Ph.D. in Immunology from the Tbilisi State University, Georgia in 2002. She conducted her postdoctoral research at the Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh. In 2008, Dr. Kardava joined the Laboratory of Immunoregulation (LIR) at NIAID as a postdoctoral visiting fellow and in 2011, she became a research fellow. In 2016, she was appointed as a staff scientist in the B-Cell Immunology Section, LIR.

Publications

Austin JW, Buckner CM, Kardava L, Wang W, Zhang X, Melson VA, Swanson RG, Martins AJ, Zhou JQ, Hoehn KB, Fisk JN, Dimopoulos Y, Chassiakos A, O'Dell S, Smelkinson MG, Seamon CA, Kwan RW, Sneller MC, Pittaluga S, Doria-Rose NA, McDermott A, Li Y, Chun TW, Kleinstein SH, Tsang JS, Petrovas C, Moir S. Overexpression of T-bet in HIV infection is associated with accumulation of B cells outside germinal centers and poor affinity maturation. Sci Transl Med. 2019 Nov 27;11(520):eaax0904.

Kardava L, Sohn H, Youn C, Austin JW, Wang W, Buckner CM, Justement JS, Melson VA, Roth GE, Hand MA, Gittens KR, Kwan RW, Sneller MC, Li Y, Chun TW, Sun PD, Pierce SK, Moir S. IgG3 regulates tissue-like memory B cells in HIV-infected individuals. Nat Immunol. 2018 Sep;19(9):1001-1012. 

Kardava L, Moir S, Shah N, Wang W, Wilson R, Buckner CM, Santich BH, Kim LJ, Spurlin EE, Nelson AK, Wheatley AK, Harvey CJ, McDermott AB, Wucherpfennig KW, Chun TW, Tsang JS, Li Y, Fauci AS. Abnormal B cell memory subsets dominate HIV-specific responses in infected individuals. J Clin Invest. 2014 Jul;124(7):3252-62.

Kardava L, Moir S, Wang W, Ho J, Buckner CM, Posada JG, O'Shea MA, Roby G, Chen J, Sohn HW, Chun TW, Pierce SK, Fauci AS. Attenuation of HIV-associated human B cell exhaustion by siRNA downregulation of inhibitory receptors. J Clin Invest. 2011 Jul;121(7):2614-24.

Visit PubMed for a complete publication listing.

Section or Unit Name
B-Cell Immunology Section
First Name
Lela
Last Name
Kardava
Exclude from directory
Off
Section/Unit: Location
This Researcher/Clinician’s Person Page
Parent Lab/Program
Program Description

Our research mainly focuses on the phenotypic and functional characterization of B-cell subsets in the HIV pathogenesis. We utilize a variety of highly sensitive assays to study the role of B cells in HIV-infected individuals and other human diseases. We apply our knowledge in virus-specific B cells to examine B-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine.

Selected Publications

Austin JW, Buckner CM, Kardava L, Wang W, Zhang X, Melson VA, Swanson RG, Martins AJ, Zhou JQ, Hoehn KB, Fisk JN, Dimopoulos Y, Chassiakos A, O'Dell S, Smelkinson MG, Seamon CA, Kwan RW, Sneller MC, Pittaluga S, Doria-Rose NA, McDermott A, Li Y, Chun TW, Kleinstein SH, Tsang JS, Petrovas C, Moir S. Overexpression of T-bet in HIV infection is associated with accumulation of B cells outside germinal centers and poor affinity maturation. Sci Transl Med. 2019 Nov 27;11(520):eaax0904.

Kardava L, Sohn H, Youn C, Austin JW, Wang W, Buckner CM, Justement JS, Melson VA, Roth GE, Hand MA, Gittens KR, Kwan RW, Sneller MC, Li Y, Chun TW, Sun PD, Pierce SK, Moir S. IgG3 regulates tissue-like memory B cells in HIV-infected individuals. Nat Immunol. 2018 Sep;19(9):1001-1012. 

Kardava L, Moir S, Shah N, Wang W, Wilson R, Buckner CM, Santich BH, Kim LJ, Spurlin EE, Nelson AK, Wheatley AK, Harvey CJ, McDermott AB, Wucherpfennig KW, Chun TW, Tsang JS, Li Y, Fauci AS. Abnormal B cell memory subsets dominate HIV-specific responses in infected individuals. J Clin Invest. 2014 Jul;124(7):3252-62.

Kardava L, Moir S, Wang W, Ho J, Buckner CM, Posada JG, O'Shea MA, Roby G, Chen J, Sohn HW, Chun TW, Pierce SK, Fauci AS. Attenuation of HIV-associated human B cell exhaustion by siRNA downregulation of inhibitory receptors. J Clin Invest. 2011 Jul;121(7):2614-24.

Visit PubMed for a complete publication listing.

Major Areas of Research
  • B cells in HIV pathogenesis
  • B-cell responses to vaccination
  • B cells in primary immunodeficiencies

Osivax Enters Research Collaboration with the NIAID for the Evaluation of Combination Approach to Broad-Spectrum Influenza Vaccines

Media Type
Article
Publish or Event Date
Research Institution
Osivax
Short Title
Osivax Enters Research Collaboration with the NIAID for the Evaluation of Combination
Content Coordinator
Content Manager

$12 Million Grant Propels Research of Immune Systems of Pregnant Individuals

Media Type
Article
Publish or Event Date
Research Institution
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Short Title
$12 Million Grant Propels Research of Immune Systems of Pregnant Individuals
Content Coordinator
Content Manager

Researchers to Study Coronavirus Packaging

Researchers Find a Trigger for "Cell Suicide"; Could Lead to New Skin Infection Therapies

COVID Drug May Also Ease Symptoms of Long COVID

Targeting Interleukin-6 Could Help Relieve Immunotherapy Side Effects

Media Type
Article
Publish or Event Date
Research Institution
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Short Title
Targeting Interleukin-6 Could Help Relieve Immunotherapy Side Effects
Content Coordinator
Content Manager