Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies

Our Vision

Keeping children healthy through the gift of immunity. Immunity influences almost every medical illness. Through scientific discovery and innovation, we will harness the power of the immune system to prevent, treat or cure life-threatening childhood diseases.

The Center

Under the leadership of Dr. David Rawlings, the Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies aspires to: improve diagnosis of primary immune deficiencies and autoimmune diseases (such as arthritis, lupus and diabetes); advance gene therapy and gene repair as potential cures for target genetic disorders; identify vaccine strategies for immunologically vulnerable populations; and enhance immune monitoring techniques for autoimmune diseases, organ transplantation, infections, cancer and allergies.

The Northwest Genome Engineering Consortium (NGEC) brings together researchers at Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington to develop new methods for gene repair, an innovative approach to gene therapy. Dr. Andy Scharenberg and Dr. David Rawlings, members of the Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, serve as NGEC co-directors and principal investigators.

The center also hosts the Flow Cytometry Core facility, which provides access to state-of-the-art cell sorters, analyzers, and workstations; training and technical support of investigators; assistance with experimental design, data analysis and interpretation; and assistance in developing novel flow cytometric bead-based techniques.

Strategic Priorities

To achieve our vision we will:

  1. Expand bench-to-bedside research programs focused on manipulating the immune system to treat pediatric diseases.
  2. Partner with our unique patient populations to better understand and treat immune disorders.
  3. Enhance the Immune Function and Molecular Diagnostics Core laboratories to improve the molecular definition and diagnosis of immunological disorders.
  4. Enlarge our critical mass of investigators by recruiting new scientists, piloting innovative projects and retaining successful junior and established researchers.
  5. Establish and maintain close collaborative relationships with strong local and national academic and biotech research groups focused on immune system function.
  6. Recruit and train the highest quality pre- and post-doctoral scholars into immunological research and pediatric medicine.
  7. Attract and retain an engaged and energetic administrative and technical staff.

Center Programs

  • Molecular definition and diagnosis of primary immune deficiency and autoimmune diseases
  • Immune monitoring in pediatric autoimmunity (including arthritis, lupus, diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease), allergy, organ transplantation, infection and cancer
  • Stem cell transplantation and development of disease-specific cell therapies
  • Gene therapy and gene repair for target immune deficiencies and other gene disorders
  • Vaccine strategies, in particular for immunologically vulnerable populations
  • Developing small molecule therapeutics to modulate immune function

To learn more about becoming a Member in this center, interested faculty and postdoctoral researchers are encouraged to contact David Rawlings, MD, at (206) 987-7450.