Michael Turner, PhD
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Program:
Immunology
Graduated:
12/2005
Mentor:
Dr. Olivera Finn
Thesis:
Regulation of MUC1-specific Immunity by CD4+ T cells
Previous Institutions Attended:
University of Leicester, BS Microbiology
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I am currently a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine. I am doing research on different subsets of dendritic cells and their therapeutic effects on helper and regulatory T cells in the setting of cancer vaccines and diabetes.
Fellowships, Awards, Promotions:
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute:
Director’s Award for Scientific Excellence and Potential, 2006.
University of Pittsburgh Biomedical Graduate Student Association
Most Well-Rounded Graduate Student Award, 2003.
Recent Publications:
Raimondi G, Turner MS, Thomson AW, and Morel PA (2007). Naturally occurring regulatory T cells: recent insights in health and disease. Crit Rev Immunol. 2007;27(1):61-95.
Turner MS, Cohen, PA, and Finn OJ (2007). Lack of Effective MUC1 Tumor Antigen-Specific Immunity in MUC1-Transgenic Mice Results from a Th/T Regulatory Cell Imbalance That Can Be Corrected by Adoptive Transfer of Wild-Type Th Cells. J Immunol 178:2787-2793.
Publications while a graduate student at Pitt:
Turner MS, McKolanis JR, Ramanathan RK, Whitcomb DC, Finn OJ (2003). Mucins in gastrointestinal cancers. Cancer Chemother Biol Response Modif. 21:259-74.
What do you find to be personally rewarding in the work in which you are currently involved?
I decided to stay at Pitt for my post-doc to make use of a transgenic mouse model that I developed during my time as a grad student. Having spent several years pouring my blood, sweat, and tears into the system, I'm happy to have the opportunity to remain here and use this model to answer fundamental questions regarding the immune response to tumor antigens. I have to admit that I enjoy introducing the transgenic mouse model as "something I made in my spare time as a grad student". What did you enjoy most about your research experiences and graduate studies here at Pitt?
I chose a PhD project that would give me a solid training in both the cellular and molecular aspects of immunology. This required that I call on the help of many students and faculty, all of whom were readily available and free with their help and advice. The highly collaborative environment here at Pitt is one of it's best assets and was a significant factor in my decision to stay here for my post-doctoral training.
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