Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program
The Chrysothemis Brown Lab
Research
At the Brown Lab, we’re studying how signals from the tissue environment shape the fate and function of immune cells and the mechanisms by which the immune system reciprocally regulates tissue homeostasis and host immunity. At the heart of an immune response are dendritic cells, sentinels of the immune system that are uniquely poised to regulate the balance between inflammatory immune responses and immune tolerance. We have identified novel dendritic cells and our work aims to decode the environmental cues that shape dendritic cell heterogeneity and elucidate their distinct functions in immunity, tissue homeostasis, and human disease. In the study of dendritic cells and their cross talk with immune and stromal cells, the scope of our research extends across three distinct yet complementary areas: early life immunity, tissue regeneration, and cancer.
We approach these questions using state-of-the-art single-cell omics, advanced imaging techniques, and sophisticated genetically engineered mouse models for tracing and ablation of distinct immune cell lineages.
Through the study of unique clinical cohorts at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, our work transitions between human disease-focused research and laboratory experimental research.
Research Projects
Featured News
Publications
Brown C*†, Gudjonson H,*Pritykin Y, Deep D, Lavalle V, Mendoza A, Fromme R, Mazutis L, Ariyan C, Leslie C, Pe’er D, Rudensky, A. (2019). Transcriptional basis of dendritic cell heterogeneity in mouse and humans. Cell 179:846-863 *co-author †co-corresponding author
Brown C,* Esterhazy, D, Sarde, A, London, M, Pullabhatla, V, Osma-Garcia, I, al-Bader, R, Ortiz, C, Elgueta, R, Arno, M, de Rinaldis, E, Mucida D, Lord G, Noelle, R. (2015). Retinoic acid is essential for Th1 cell lineage stability and prevents transition to a Th17 cell program. Immunity 42:499-511 *co-corresponding author
Brown C, Rudensky A. (2021). Conceiving the inconceivable: the function of Aire in immune tolerance to peripheral tissue-restricted antigens in the thymus. J Immunol 206:245-247
Brown C, Wolchok J. (2020). PD-L1 Blockade Therapy: Location, Location, Location. Cancer Cell 38:615-617
Brown C, Rudensky A. (2020). Enforcing T cell innocence. Science 367:247-248
People
Chrysothemis Brown, MBBS, PhD
- The Brown Lab studies how the tissue environment shapes immune cell fate and function during early life immune development, inflammation, and cancer.
- MA, University of Oxford
- MBBS, Royal Free and University College London
- PhD, King’s College London
Members
Lab Affiliations
Achievements
- Josie Robertson Investigator (2020-2025)
- Parker Senior Fellow, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (2021)
- Wellcome Trust Post-doctoral Research Fellowship (2016)
- Elsevier Outstanding Thesis Award (2015)
- International Pediatric Transplantation Association Fellow (2014)
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- Wellcome Trust PhD Research Fellowship (2011)
Open Positions
To learn more about available postdoctoral opportunities, please visit our Career Center