Honoring Research That Shapes Autoimmune Insight

Dr. Mitchell Kronenberg, President and Chief Scientific Officer at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), has been elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. While this honor recognizes excellence in microbiology, his work has direct implications for autoimmune disease.

Kronenberg is best known for advancing our understanding of natural killer T (NKT) cells and other innate-like T cells. These cells respond quickly to lipid antigens presented by CD1 molecules, helping shape early immune responses. That early signaling matters. In autoimmune disease, inappropriate activation or dysregulation of these pathways can contribute to chronic inflammation and tissue damage.

Research into lipid antigen presentation and unconventional T cell biology has expanded our understanding of how the immune system distinguishes self from non-self. When that discrimination fails, immune cells may attack the body’s own tissues. Insights from Kronenberg’s work help researchers map the checkpoints that normally prevent this from happening.

For autoimmune conditions, this kind of foundational immunology is critical. It informs how immune tolerance breaks down, why certain tissues become targets, and how future therapies might recalibrate immune responses without broadly suppressing immunity.

Recognition by the American Academy of Microbiology reflects not just scientific achievement, but research that strengthens the framework for understanding immune imbalance across infection, cancer, and autoimmune disease.