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Rachel Presti, M.D., Ph.D.
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Rachel Presti, M.D., Ph.D. Instructor in Medicine Office Location:
West Building, Rm 4718
Born in Los Angeles, Dr. Presti was raised in Seattle, WA. After earning a BA in biology/chemistry at Scripps College, Claremont, CA, she came to Washington University in 1994 as an MSTP student. She completed her PhD thesis in the laboratory of Dr. Skip Virgin, studying the role of IFN-gamma in antiviral defense against murine cytomegalovirus, in 1999, and completed her MD and PhD degrees in 2001. She stayed at Barnes for residency and fellowship in Medicine and Infectious Disease, doing research work in the laboratory of Dr. Marco Colonna. Her current research interests include studying the role of activating NK receptors in infectious diseases models, including cytomegalovirus, toxoplasma, and HIV, and in autoimmune disease. Research Interests I am interested in the role of NK activating receptors and their downstream signaling molecules in infectious and autoimmune disease. We have developed mouse models using knockout technology to study the role of the innate immune system activating receptors NKG2D, Trem, and DNAM, as well as downstream signaling molecules DAP10, DAP12, PLC-gamma, and PKC-theta in several animal models of important infectious diseases, including cytomegalovirus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, and toxoplasma. We are also evaluating the contribution of these receptors and signaling molecules in the autoimmune disease, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Additionally, in collaboration with the Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI), I have begun studies looking at the NK and DC receptor phenotypic and functional differences during acute HIV infection and in exposed uninfected persons as compared to chronically infected or unexposed persons. We hope that these studies will begin to address the role of the innate immune system in the variety of outcomes which occur during the initial exposure and infection with HIV, and may eventually help to develop a successful HIV vaccine. Link to Medline for selected publications
Division of Infectious Diseases
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