OUR LAB
The Weinstein Lab is part of the Center for Immunity and Inflammation at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. The interplay between B and T cells in adaptive immunity is essential for production of anti-pathogen antibodies during infections and following vaccination. Similar pathways of T-B cell interactions likely lead to genesis of potentially pathogenic antibodies in autoimmunity. Mounting evidence suggests that in autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), CD4+ T cells drive the generation of autoantibody-producing B cells via the germinal center (GC) reaction, with initiation of autoreactive B cell memory and long-lived plasma cell formation; however, the development and interaction of pathogenic T and B cells in comparison to the acute, pathogen-specific response are not well defined.
OUR FOCUS
Our research is primarily focused on understanding a subset of effector CD4 T cells, known as a T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, which interact with germinal center B cells to generate antibody production in the B cells. Our lab combines advanced approaches in cellular immunology and genomics to investigate the dynamic genetic regulation and function of pathogenic T and B cells from early to advanced autoimmunity in comparison to those following pathogen challenge.
Confocal Image of germinal centers in lupus taken by the Weinstein Lab
PEOPLE
Assistant Professor, Chancellor Scholar
Jason Weinstein
Jason has long-held an interest in immunology, particularly in understanding T-B collaboration in normal and autoimmune responses. As a graduate student at the University of Florida, he studied the mechanisms underlying the generation of autoreactive B and T lymphocyte responses in lupus. As a postdoctoral fellow at Yale he examined the developmental requirements of T follicular helper cells, with the goal of applying these findings to autoimmunity. Jason used state-of-the-art bioinformatics and functional genomics to identify novel Tfh-cell specific enhancer elements from chronically inflamed human tonsils. Jason then integrated bioinformatics and genomics tools with cellular immunology approaches to examine how Tfh cells regulate the GC response in acute viral and helminth infections, models of type 1 and type 2 immune responses, respectively, with the goal to then dissect chronic autoimmune models for similarities.
Graduate Student
Olivia joined the Weinstein lab in November 2018 as a pre-doctoral candidate (I3 track) investigating the evolving transcriptional regulation of Tfh cells during autoimmune disease. She comes to the lab with a background in applied mathematics and virology from Emory University. Outside of the lab, Olivia enjoys traveling and perfecting her world-renowned chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Lab Technician
Krzysztof joined the Weinstein lab in December 2018 and is investigating how potential pharmacological agents may be used to intervene with Tfh and GC B cell development and interaction in systemic autoimmunity. He graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A in Biological Sciences where he conducted research on the molecular mechanisms of melanoma. On his free time, he enjoys skiing, cliff jumping and hiking.
PEOPLE
The Lab
Assistant Professor, Chancellor Scholar
Jason Weinstein
Jason has long-held an interest in immunology, particularly in understanding T-B collaboration in normal and autoimmune responses. As a graduate student at the University of Florida, he studied the mechanisms underlying the generation of autoreactive B and T lymphocyte responses in lupus. As a postdoctoral fellow at Yale he examined the developmental requirements of T follicular helper cells, with the goal of applying these findings to autoimmunity. Jason used state-of-the-art bioinformatics and functional genomics to identify novel Tfh-cell specific enhancer elements from chronically inflamed human tonsils. Jason then integrated bioinformatics and genomics tools with cellular immunology approaches to examine how Tfh cells regulate the GC response in acute viral and helminth infections, models of type 1 and type 2 immune responses, respectively, with the goal to then dissect chronic autoimmune models for similarities.
Graduate Student
Olivia joined the Weinstein lab in November 2018 as a pre-doctoral candidate (I3 track) investigating the evolving transcriptional regulation of Tfh cells during autoimmune disease. She comes to the lab with a background in applied mathematics and virology from Emory University. Outside of the lab, Olivia enjoys traveling and perfecting her world-renowned chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Olivia Antao
Graduate Student
Gina joined the Weinstein lab in April 2019 as a pre-doctoral student (MBGC track) to investigate the transcriptional regulation of GC B cells in the context of autoimmunity. She comes from Stony Brook University with a background in developmental genetics. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, photography, and reading.
Gina Sanchez
Lab Technician
Dan joined the Weinstein lab in September 2019 as an undergraduate and then full-time as a lab tech in August 2020. He is now investigating how potential pharmacological agents may be used to intervene with Tfh and GC B cell development and interaction in systemic autoimmunity. Dan graduated from New Jersey Institute of Technology with a B.A. in Biological Sciences. In his free time, he enjoys mountain biking, ice hockey and hiking.
Dan Mayer
Visiting Student
Natasha Rasnick
Lab Mascot
Erratum joined the Weinstein lab in 2018 after Jason failed to properly review an order for a 2-liter bottle. Erratum is our fearless 20-liter mascot reminding us to double check our math.
Erratum
Former Lab Members
Krzysztof Zembrzuski
Current Medical Student
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Dong X, Antao OQ, Song W, Sanchez GM, Zembrzuski K, Koumpouras F, Lemenze A, Craft J, Weinstein JS. Type 1 Interferon-Activated STAT4 Regulation of Follicular Helper T Cell-Dependent Cytokine and Immunoglobulin Production in Lupus. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021 Jan 29.
Weinstein JS, Laidlaw BJ, Lu Y, Wang JK, Schulz VP, Li N, Herman EI, Kaech SM, Gallagher PG, Craft J. The transcriptional regulators STAT4 and T-bet cooperate in follicular helper T cells to fine-tune viral-specific humoral responses. J. Exp Med. 2017 Dec 6; 215(1)
Weinstein JS, Lezon-Geyda K, Maksimova Y, Craft S, Zhang Y, Su M, Schulz VP, Craft J, Gallagher PG. Global transcriptome analysis and enhancer landscape of human primary t follicular helper and t effector lymphocytes. Blood. 2014 Dec 11;124(25):3719-29
Weinstein JS, Herman EI, Lainez B, Licona-Limón P, Esplugues E, Flavell R, Craft J Follicular Helper T Cells Progressively Differentiate to Regulate the Germinal Center Response. Nat Immunol. 2016 Oct;17(10):1197-1205