Research Stories

As world leaders in gene therapy and editing, cellular therapy and protein therapeutics, the Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies (CIIT) is pioneering research that could revolutionize treatment for hundreds of rare and common genetic disorders, curing disease at the source.

Unlocking the Immune System’s Role in a Post-Transplant Malady

Findings by Drs. Richard James and David Rawlings reveal B cell receptor signaling’s role in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder.

Seattle Children’s Launches First U.S. CAR T-Cell Clinical Trial for Children with Lupus

Seattle Children’s has received FDA authorization to launch the first chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell clinical trial in the U.S. for children under 18 with the most common form of lupus.

STRIDE Study Aims for Better Treatments for Children With IBD

Newly launched study seeks answers to how and why inflammatory bowel disease begins in children, targeting cure.

CIIT Researchers Highlight Achievements in Novel Therapies at Gene and Cell Therapy Meeting

Key findings from the CIIT will be shared at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy’s Annual Meeting, May 7-11 in Baltimore.

New Cell-Based Therapy Drives Progress Toward Diabetes Treatment, Prevention

Using new gene-editing techniques, Dr. David Rawlings and his lab team have created a novel cell therapy to potentially transform the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Shaun Jackson Receives $3 Million Lupus Research Alliance Team Award

The pediatric rheumatologist and nephrologist will co-lead kidney imaging studies with a multidisciplinary team studying pediatric lupus nephritis.

Rare Disorder Research Yields Insights into Immune Dysregulation, Drug Approaches

Seattle Children’s researchers and colleagues have identified a new driver of autoimmunity that may be relevant to many diseases, including lupus.

Research Highlights: Equity Initiatives Improve Infection Rates; Cell and Gene Therapy Progress; Malaria Study

On the Pulse takes a look at some of the highlights from across the research institute over the past month.

Children’s Researchers Share Progress at ASGCT Annual Meeting

May 16, 2023 - Key findings from the Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies highlighted at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy’s Annual Meeting from May 16 to 20 in Los Angeles.

Finding an Allergy Brake

May 16, 2023 – Researchers in the Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies have discovered a new mechanism in human mast cells: They express an inhibitory receptor, Siglec-9, that can act as a brake on their activation.

Murdock Grant Enables New Cell Analyzer as Shared Resource

Apr. 24, 2023 - An M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust grant awarded to Drs. Rhea Coler and Shaun Jackson facilitates cell analyzer acquisition for the research institute’s Integrated Flow Cytometry Core.

Engineering B Cells for Future Therapies

Oct. 6, 2022 – Nature Communications published findings by Seattle Children’s Research Institute’s Drs. Richard James and David Rawlings about long-lived engineered B cells to deliver protein therapies.

New T-Cell Therapy May Treat or Prevent Type 1 Diabetes

Oct. 5, 2022 – Science Translational Medicine published new insights by Seattle Children’s Research Institute’s Dr. David Rawlings and Benaroya Research Institute’s Dr. Jane Buckner into promising T-cell therapy to treat type 1 diabetes.

Partnering with Biotechs to Save Lives

Biotechnology start-up GentiBio announced a multi-year collaboration with global pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb, the latest success story in the research institute’s rapid development of therapies and technologies that change children’s lives.

Seattle Children’s Looks to Become “Center of Excellence” In Gene and Cell Therapy

Recent breakthroughs in cell and gene therapy research within Seattle Children’s Research Division has contributed to the creation of new technologies, new companies and – researchers hope – will lead to a range of new treatments and cures for pediatric diseases down the line.

Study Offers Good News on COVID-19 Immunity

For close to a decade the labs of Dr. David Rawlings at Seattle Children’s Research Institute and Dr. Marion Pepper at the University of Washington have collaborated on a project studying the immune response in malaria infections.

GentiBio launches to develop engineered regulatory T cells for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases

Announces exclusive licensing partnerships for proprietary regulatory T cell engineering technologies with Seattle Children's Research Institute, Benaroya Research Institute and MIGAL Galilee Research Institute.

CSL Behring and Seattle Children’s Research Institute to Advance Gene Therapy Treatments for Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases

Initially, the alliance will develop treatment options for patients with two rare, life-threatening primary immunodeficiency diseases – Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS) and X-linked Agammaglobulinemia (XLA).

Researchers Ready B Cells for Novel Cell Therapy

Scientists at Seattle Children’s Research Institute are paving the way to use gene-edited B cells to treat a wide range of potential diseases that affect children, including hemophilia and other protein deficiency disorders, autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases.