Janko Nikolich-Zugich, MD, PhD
Cancer Biology Program
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Professor, Immunobiology
Department Head, Immunobiology
Co-Director, Arizona Center on Aging
Biography
Dr. Nikolich-Zugich is internationally recognized as a leading immunologist and gerontologist. He received his M.D., MSc and Ph.D. in Immunology from Belgrade University. 1987-1990, Research Associate, Scripps Research Institute, laboratory of Dr.M.J. Bevan, FRS, NAS, HHMI. 1990-2001; Assistant and Associate Member/Professor, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, NY and Cornell University Graduate School of Medical Sciences. 2001-2008, Professor and Senior Scientist, OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute; 2008-present, Bowman Professor and Head, Department of Immunobiology and Co-Director, Arizona Center on Aging, University of Arizona. Chair of the Board and CEO, American Aging Association (2014-2020), Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and of the American Aging Association.
Cancer Focus
My laboratory studies decline in immunity against microbial pathogens during aging, and the potential for immune rejuvenation in the old age. Inasmuch as cancer is dominantly a disease of old age, and inasmuch as longevity is determined in part by resistance to cancer, we are also interested in immune modulation during aging and longevity extension treatments as they apply to cancer. I have had a long interest in T cell effector function and peptide-MHC recognition by T cells in antimicrobial immunity and cancer, having published several studies on experimental cancer therapies.
Selected Publications
Thompson, H. L., M. J. Smithey, J. L. Uhrlaub, I. Jeftić, M. Jergović, S. E. White, N. Currier, A. M. Lang, A. Okoye, B. Park, et al., "Lymph nodes as barriers to T-cell rejuvenation in aging mice and nonhuman primates.", Aging Cell, vol. 18, issue 1, pp. e12865, 2019 Feb. PMID: 30430748
Smithey, M. J., V. Venturi, M. P. Davenport, A. S. Buntzman, B. G. Vincent, J. A. Frelinger, and J. Nikolich-Žugich, "Lifelong CMV infection improves immune defense in old mice by broadening the mobilized TCR repertoire against third-party infection.", Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, vol. 115, issue 29, pp. E6817-E6825, 2018 07 17. PMCID: PMC6055168 PMID: 29967140
Uhrlaub, J. L., M. J. Smithey, and J. Nikolich-Žugich, "Cutting Edge: The Aging Immune System Reveals the Biological Impact of Direct Antigen Presentation on CD8 T Cell Responses.", J Immunol, vol. 199, issue 2, pp. 403-407, 2017 07 15. PMCID: PMC5520673 PMID: 28615415
Uhrlaub, J. L., V. Pulko, V. R. DeFilippis, R. Broeckel, D. N. Streblow, G. D. Coleman, B. S. Park, J. F. Lindo, I. Vickers, J. J. Anzinger, et al., "Dysregulated TGF-β Production Underlies the Age-Related Vulnerability to Chikungunya Virus.", PLoS Pathog, vol. 12, issue 10, pp. e1005891, 2016 Oct. PMCID: PMC5063327 PMID: 27736984
Pulko, V., J. S. Davies, C. Martinez, M. C. Lanteri, M. P. Busch, M. S. Diamond, K. Knox, E. C. Bush, P. A. Sims, S. Sinari, et al., "Human memory T cells with a naive phenotype accumulate with aging and respond to persistent viruses.", Nat Immunol, vol. 17, issue 8, pp. 966-75, 2016 08. PMCID: PMC4955715 PMID: 27270402
Dyall, R., L. V. Vasović, R. A. Clynes, and J. Nikolić-Zugic, "Cellular requirements for the monoclonal antibody-mediated eradication of an established solid tumor.", Eur J Immunol, vol. 29, issue 1, pp. 30-7, 1999 01. PMID: 9933083
Dyall, R., W. B. Bowne, L. W. Weber, J. LeMaoult, P. Szabo, Y. Moroi, G. Piskun, J. J. Lewis, A. N. Houghton, and J. Nikolić-Zugic, "Heteroclitic immunization induces tumor immunity.", J Exp Med, vol. 188, issue 9, pp. 1553-61, 1998 Nov 02. PMCID: PMC2212523 PMID: 9802967
Ross, H. M., L. W. Weber, S. Wang, G. Piskun, R. Dyall, P. Song, Y. Takechi, J. Nikolić-Zugic, A. N. Houghton, and J. J. Lewis, "Priming for T-cell-mediated rejection of established tumors by cutaneous DNA immunization.", Clin Cancer Res, vol. 3, issue 12 Pt 1, pp. 2191-6, 1997 Dec. PMID: 9815614
Vasović, L. V., R. Dyall, R. A. Clynes, J. V. Ravetch, and J. Nikolić-Zugic, "Synergy between an antibody and CD8+ cells in eliminating an established tumor.", Eur J Immunol, vol. 27, issue 2, pp. 374-82, 1997 Feb. PMID: 9045907
Dyall, R., L. V. Vasović, A. Molano, and J. Nikolić-Zugic, "CD4-independent in vivo priming of murine CTL by optimal MHC class I-restricted peptides derived from intracellular pathogens.", Int Immunol, vol. 7, issue 8, pp. 1205-12, 1995 Aug. PMID: 7495727