IMMUNE MONITORING LAB
Kathleen Gallagher, PhD
Director of the Immune Monitoring Lab
Kathleen grew up in Bath, UK and obtained her PhD from Cardiff University in Wales. She directs the Immune Monitoring Laboratory. The laboratory provides expertise to enable translational clinical studies of immune-based therapies, based on the highest standard operating systems. Assays are executed by a team of experts specializing in immune profiles of disease and analysis of immune testing and response. A cancer immune monitoring platform provides the equivalent of immune system pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, in addition to providing mechanistic data on patterns of toxicity, resistance, and efficacy. In her free time, Kathleen likes kayaking, playing music, dancing salsa and bachata and rock climbing.
Mission
The mission of the Immune Monitoring Laboratory is to provide comprehensive immune monitoring that is of high quality, innovative, and enables translational research of immune-based therapies.
Overview
The Immune Monitoring Lab (IML) is directed by Dr. Kathleen Gallagher and is a vital part of the Cellular Immunotherapy Program. The laboratory provides expertise and services for processing, storing, and analyzing patient samples, based on the highest standard operating procedures. These assays are executed by a team that specializes in immune profiles of disease and analysis of immune testing and response. The cancer immunotherapy monitoring platform they have established provides the equivalent of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics for the immune system, in addition to providing mechanistic data on patterns of toxicity, resistance, and efficacy.
Laboratory Assays
Sample Processing & Biobanking
- Processing of peripheral blood, bone marrow, CSF, urine, biopsy tissue
- Isolation and long-term storage of:
- PBMCs and BMMCs
- Serum and plasma
- CSF
- Urine
Nucleic Acid Services
- Automated DNA extraction (QIAcube) and storage
- ddPCR for CAR-T expansion monitoring (semi automated; QIAgility /BioRad droplet generator and ddPCR system)
Protein Biomarker Quantification
- Cytokine and soluble protein quantification from serum, plasma, and CSF using:
- ELISA (fully automated)
- ELLA (semi-automated immunoassay system) for high-sensitivity, multiplexed detection
Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting
- Comprehensive multi-color flow cytometry panels (BD Lyric and Cytek Aurora)
- Established assays include:
- High-purity cell sorting using the Sony MA900
- CAR-T identification, quantification, and phenotyping
- T-cell memory phenotyping
- Regulatory T-cell identification and phenotyping
- Absolute T-cell counts
- Plasma cell detection
- Custom flow cytometry panels developed upon request
Functional Immune Assays
- ELISpot for IFN-γ–producing T cells
- Quantification of surface antigen expression
- T-cell intracellular cytokine release assays
- T-cell CD107a degranulation assays
- Whole blood IFNg release assays
- Anti-CAR IgG detection assays