The Leifer lab focuses on two complementary areas of immunology: pioneering immunotherapies for cats and defining the molecular mechanisms that initiate and regulate inflammation.

Innovative immunotherapies for feline disease
We are developing next-generation immunotherapies for cats, with a particular focus on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)–based approaches. Our recent work includes the first description of a feline CAR therapy targeting the feline coronavirus spike protein, as well as the development of the reagents and methodologies needed to generate functional feline CAR T cells. CARs fuse the antigen-binding specificity of an antibody-derived single-chain variable fragment with potent intracellular signaling domains, enabling immune cell, such as T cells, to recognize and eliminate diseased or infected cells. CAR T cell therapy has transformed the treatment of human hematologic cancers and has been successfully translated to dogs; our lab is the first to adapt and advance this powerful technology for cats.

Mechanisms of inflammation and innate immune sensing
The lab also investigates how inflammation is initiated and regulated, processes that underlie nearly all human diseases. We study macrophages, highly adaptable innate immune cells that drive inflammatory responses by sensing infection or tissue damage through pattern recognition receptors, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs). A deeper understanding of these pathways is essential for enhancing vaccines and immunotherapies, as well as for dampening chronic inflammation and autoimmunity. Our work is particularly focused on innate immune receptors that detect nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), which are highly conserved molecular structures shared by pathogens and hosts. These nucleic acid–sensing pathways, mediated by specific TLRs, represent a critical intersection between host defense, immune activation, and inflammatory disease.

PhD Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University