Gregory C. Ippolito

Dr. Ippolito initially studied physics at Reed College and then completed training in B-cell immunology at The University of Alabama at Birmingham, The University of Cologne (Germany), and The University of Texas at Austin.  Key areas of research have focused upon normal and malignant B-cell development (Bcl11a and Foxp1 proto-oncogenes) and the ontogeny of antibody repertoires in health and disease.

Current research utilizes molecular and proteomic techniques for the comprehensive profiling of antibody repertoires in human adaptive immune responses. The method is a synergistic combination of (i) IgG immunoglobulin protein mass spectrometry and (ii) a high-throughput DNA sequencing method that preserves the natural pairing of B-cell heavy and light chain variable regions (VH:VL regions). This innovation allows for the direct comparison of protein-level plasma IgG immunoglobulin repertoires to DNA-level repertoires in circulating peripheral blood B cells—a unique description that is yielding fresh insights into the temporal dynamics and sequence composition of antibody-mediated immunity. These techniques have been applied to the analysis of vaccine responses, autoimmunity, cancer, and infectious diseases like malaria and COVID-19.

Two key technologies, BCR-Seq and Ig-Seq, are used in concert to gather immune response data that is then subjected to bioinformatic analysis.

1. BCR-Seq: Short for “B-cell repertoire sequencing,” this technology allows for analysis of a patient’s immune response at the single-cell level by analyzing the antibody information presented on the surface of the many thousands of individual B-cells produced in response to vaccination or infection.

2. Ig-Seq: Short for “Immunoglobulin sequencing,” this second technology is a proteomic/informatics strategy that, when combined with BCR-Seq data, enables determination of molecular-level identification and functionality of the most prevalent immune response antibody proteins (immunoglobulins) in blood or other fluids.