Rod Rahimi, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Areas of Expertise: Investigation
Academic Interests
Numerous airway diseases such as asthma, COPD, and Cystic fibrosis are driven or worsened by a maladaptive immune response to inhaled allergens. Our laboratory focuses on defining the mechanisms whereby CD4+ T cells dictate the host response to inhaled allergens. Most individuals develop immune tolerance to allergens, which is dependent on FOXP3+ regulatory T cells, whereas a subset of individuals develop a maladaptive CD4+ T helper type 2 (Th2) cell response that drives allergic inflammation. The mechanisms dictating tolerance versus a pathogenic Th2 cell response remain unclear, precluding our ability to promote or re-establish immune tolerance to allergens. Using murine models and human-derived samples, we use the tools of genetics, immunology, microscopy, and multi-omics approaches to define the differentiation, function, and fate of allergen-specific CD4+ T cells. Our long-term goal is to define novel therapeutic approaches to prevent or durably suppress allergic airway diseases.
Awards and Recognition
Fellow of the American Thoracic Society.
MICU Teaching Award, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Massachusetts General Hospital.
Rising Star Achievement Award, AII Assembly, American Thoracic Society.
Transformative Scholar Award, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital.
A full list of Dr. Rahimi’s published work can be found on My Bibliography.
More information can be found on Dr. Rahimi’s Harvard Catalyst Profile.
+Current Projects
- Defining the development of tissue-resident memory Th2 cells in allergic disease.
- Defining the metabolic regulation of Th2 cell fate.
- Defining CD4+ regulatory T cell control of Th2 cell responses.