John R. Ortaldo was born April 22, 1945, in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
He received a B.S. degree from Saint Francis College, Loretto, Pennsylvania in 1967, a
Masters of Science of Microbiology from Villanova University in 1969. After military service at
the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D.C. from 1969 to 1971, in
Immunohematology, he was a Microbiologist for the Department of Agriculture, Dover, Delaware. In
1971, he came to the NIH as a research biologist, in the NCI Laboratory of Cell Biology, in
the Cellular and Tumor Immunology Section working with Dr. Lloyd Law. He received a Ph.D.
degree from George Washington University in Microbiology/Immunology in 1979. He
performed postdoctoral training at the NIH in the NCI Laboratory of Immunodiagnosis
with Dr. R. Herberman. In 1980, he became a Senior Investigator in the Laboratory of
Immunodiagnosis. In 1982, he became part of the newly form Biological Response Modifiers
Program that was formed at the Frederick Cancer Research Facility, Frederick, Maryland. In
1984, he was appointed Head of the Natural Immunity Section, NIH, NCI, DCT, BRMP, in the Biological
Therapeutics Branch, Frederick, MD. In 1985, he became chief of the newly formed
Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, NIH, NCI, DCT, BRMP, Frederick, Maryland. He is
a member of numerous societies including National Honor Society, American Association
Immunology, Sigma XI (GWU) , Reticuloendothelial Society, Society of Biological Therapy,
Society of Natural Immunity, and American Association for Cancer Research. During his
research career and to date, he has been on numerous editorial boards and consulted to
Biotechnology companies including; Editorial Board, Journal of Biological Response
Modifiers, Editorial Board, (Tumor Immunology), Journal of the National Cancer Institute,
Editorial Board, Natural Immunology of Cell Growth Regulation, Scientific Advisory Committee on
Immunology and Immunotherapy for the American Cancer Society, Consultant, Sanofi Elf
BioRescherches, France, Editorial Board, Journal of Clinical Immunology, Consultant, ACT
Biomedical, Inc., Detroit, MI, and Editorial Board, Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy. He was
awarded the Public Health Special Recognition Award in 1991 for his pioneering work in
the biology of natural killer cells. He is author or coauthor of more than 300 peer reviewed
publications and has been invited serve as chairperson of scientific symposia and
workshops over the last 20 years.
Research Interests:
1) Human and Mouse NK Activation Receptor Studies. A novel, multidomain, 150 kD moiety has been cloned and analyzed in human and murine NK cells. This NK trigger receptor [NK-TR1] is essential for tumor and virus target lysis by anti-sense knockout in human, rat and mouse. Studies are presently examining the mechanism of NK-TR signaling and function and possible association with class I inhibitiory receptors.
2) Mouse Class-I Regulating NK Receptors. Mouse Ly49 molecules are class I binding NK receptors that regulate cell lysis. My lab has defined 2 of the 4 known genes by producing antibodies for functional studies. Present studies are aimed toward: 1) identification of new Ly49 genes and the study of their function; and 2) the study of the structure-function relationship of our identified Ly49 molecules.
3) Regulation of Human and Mouse NK cells. NK cells are highly cytotoxic and regulated cells. Recent studies have indicated that proprocidal regulation of human NK cells can occur. Our present studies involve the study of this Apoptosis and application of these findings to the in vivo function of NK cells.
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Updated: July 1, 1996