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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Access, not just efficacy, is the biggest unmet need in CAR T-cell therapy, says David Porter, MD (Penn), a PI on the Colton Center's CECTA, in a new AJMC video series. He unpacks safety, cost, and what it'll take to bring outpatient CAR T to more patients: bit.ly/4j5DMvF

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Reposted by The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania

Institute for Immunology and Immune Health (I3H) @i3h-upenn.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Dr. Ellebrecht presented "PIK3CD as a Niche Checkpoint of Human Skin T Cell Residence." The inventor of the CAAR T cell concept, and a @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social pilot awardee, his lab decodes how T cells commit to long- or short-lived fates to engineer precision cellular #immunotherapies.

Dr. Ellebrecht presents from behind a lectern at the I3H Year in Review. A slide on his presentation's conclusions is projected behind him.

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Led by Drs. Cherry, Fajgenbaum and Miner, HIT-AI uses knowledge graphs, ML and high-throughput screening to identify repurposed treatments across 160+ autoimmune diseases, evaluating 4,000 FDA-approved drugs from screening to clinical trials — a scalable model for the future of #autoimmunity.

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Join us next Tuesday (May 19, 11am ET) for the Colton Consortium Virtual Seminar featuring Montserrat Anguera, PhD (Penn Vet) who will be covering "Sex Differences in Autoimmune Disease: Xist RNA-Mediated Mechanisms That Influence B Cell Function." Registration required: bit.ly/4wwhLdP

events.zoom.us

Colton Virtual Seminar Series

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

New in Nature: Penn Medicine researchers, led by Dr. Katalin Susztak, revealed a subtype of diabetic kidney disease driven by B cell immune clusters — linked to faster kidney failure. The study also introduces a gene-based signature and blood test that could help identify high-risk patients earlier

pennmedicine.org

Immune linked high risk diabetic kidney disease found

A new study maps kidney tissue in single cell resolution and identifies a form of disease linked to faster progression to kidney failure.

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Reposted by The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania

The Colton Consortium for Autoimmunity @coltonconsortium.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Join us April 21 at 11 AM ET for the Colton Consortium Virtual Speaker Seminar ft. Ruslan Medzhitov, PhD of the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Medzhitov will discuss how environmental factors shape adaptive immunity and their implications for inflammation, allergy, and disease. bit.ly/4mo4yyW

events.zoom.us

Colton Consortium Virtual Speaker Series ft. Ruslan Medzhitov, PhD

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Today, the 2026 Penn Colton Center for #Autoimmunity Symposium brings together the Penn #autoimmune research community—spanning diverse disease areas and the full continuum of discovery—to share new insights in diagnosing, treating, and preventing autoimmune diseases.

Dr. Locci (Penn) addresses a full conference room of researchers from a podium. Slides are projected on screens behind her.

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Stefan Feske, MD (NYU Grossman School of Medicine) will be speaking at next week's session of the Colton Consortium Virtual Speaker Series (3/17, 11AM ET) on "IFN-γ-Producing Th1 Cells and Treg Cells in Sjögren's Disease." Open to #autoimmunity + #immunology researchers. Register: bit.ly/4bBeUaT

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Colton Virtual Seminar Series

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Don't miss this month's installment of the Colton Consortium Virtual Speaker Series, featuring Yaakov Levine, PhD, Vice President of Research at SetPoint Medical. Open to all members of the #autoimmunity and #immunology research community. Registration is required.

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Reposted by The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania

The Colton Consortium for Autoimmunity @coltonconsortium.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

Join the Colton Consortium Virtual Speaker Series on Jan. 20 (11am ET) ft. Golnaz Vahedi, PhD (@upenn.edu). Her recent work identifies a hidden subset of immune “attack” cells that emerge early in Type 1 diabetes—offering clues for blood-based detection and earlier intervention. bit.ly/VahediJan20

Colton Consortium Virtual Speaker Series. Multiome Profiling in Human Type 1 Diabetes featuring Golnaz Vahedi, PhD (University of Pennsylvania). Jan. 20, 2026 (11am ET). Registration required [QR CODE].

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

New Penn Medicine research reveals early immune clues that could help detect— and even prevent—T1D. Profiling ~1M immune cells, scientists found CD4 T cells that flip molecular “switches” driving the attack on insulin-producing cells, opening a window for early intervention. bit.ly/4oNAgVQ

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Early immune clues could help detect and prevent type 1 diabetes | Penn Today

Researchers from Penn Medicine have uncovered new clues in pancreas lymph nodes and the spleen that may stop the disease before insulin is lost forever.

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Dr. Miner and his team at Penn study rare diseases. In this video, he explores RVCL, a TREX1-driven genetic disorder (mutations in this gene are also linked to lupus) that is often misdiagnosed as more common autoimmune conditions. Learn more: youtu.be/rO02_1g6a8E

youtu.be

Making the Impossible Possible: Precision Therapy for RVCL, a Rare Genetic Disease

YouTube video by RVCL Research at Penn

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

In the latest Autoimmune Association podcast, Dr. Nina Luning Prak (@upenn.edu) speaks with 2025 Nobel Laureates in Medicine, Dr. Mary Brunkow and Dr. Fred Ramsdell about the groundbreaking discovery of FOXP3 and Tregs and how this science is shaping the future of autoimmune disease therapies.

youtu.be

Autoimmune Voices Threads of Hope: Episode 4 – The Nobel Prize

YouTube video by Autoimmune Association

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

The Colton Consortium invites the #autoimmunity and #immunology communities to a virtual seminar with Asya Rolls, PhD (Tel Aviv University). Her research uncovers how the brain regulates #immunity—showing how mental states shape disease trajectories. bit.ly/RollsDec16

Colton Consortium Virtual Speaker Series. Immunoception: Brain Representation and Control of Peripheral Immune States. Featuring Asya Rolls, PhD. Dec. 16, 2025 (11:00 am ET). QR code. Registration required.

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Congrats to Katalin Susztak, MD, PhD, on election to the National Academy of Medicine! A Colton-affiliated researcher, she’s transformed kidney disease research—mapping risk genes, revealing cellular energy defects, and advancing precision medicine for IgA nephropathy. bit.ly/49tSJ60

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Katalin Susztak, MD, PhD hunts for a cure for kidney disease | Penn Medicine

Katalin Susztak, MD, PhD, has focused her career on unlocking scientific mysteries to transform how kidney disease is prevented, detected, and treated.

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Penn physician–scientist and Colton-affiliated researcher David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc joins the Huberman Lab podcast to discuss how repurposed drugs—many already FDA-approved—can unlock new treatments for #autoimmunity, rare diseases, and beyond. 🎧 Listen: www.hubermanlab.com/episode/davi...

hubermanlab.com

Using Existing Drugs in New Ways to Treat & Cure Diseases of Brain & Body | Dr. David Fajgenbaum

Dr. David Fajgenbaum shares how he survived Castleman's disease using repurposed drugs and reveals how approved medications can treat diseases beyond their original use.

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Reposted by The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania

The Colton Consortium for Autoimmunity @coltonconsortium.bsky.social · 10/11/2025

Join us Nov. 18 for the Colton Consortium Virtual Speaker Series! Hear from David Hafler, MD, FANA (@yaleschoolofmed.bsky.social) a leader in #neuroimmunology, on the gut–brain axis in homeostasis and disease. Registration required: bit.ly/HaflerNov18

Colton Consortium Virtual Speaker Series. David Hafler, MD, FANA. “The Gut–Brain Axis in Homeostasis and Disease." Tues, Nov 18, 2025 (11:00 a.m. ET). Virtual. Registration required.

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

E. John Wherry, PhD, reflected on a conversation with his friend—and new Nobel laureate—Fred Ramsdell, PhD, about the future of #autoimmunity research. Ramsdell’s advice to “stay focused on foundational research” is guiding the direction of Penn’s Colton Center for Autoimmunity. bit.ly/471uuKQ

inquirer.com

Penn is expanding its research in immunology — a field just honored with a Nobel Prize

E. John Wherry, director of Penn's Colton Center for Autoimmunity, spoke with the Inquirer about the future of immunology research at Penn and the new $376 million research facility.

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Have you registered yet for next week's session (9/16, 11AM ET) of the #ColtonConsortium Virtual Speaker Series featuring Mark Anderson, MD, PhD (USCF + @ucsfdc.bsky.social)? Dr. Anderson will address "Dissection of #Autoimmunity Through Outliers." Registration required: bit.ly/AndersonSept16

Colton Consortium Virtual Speaker Series. Dissection of Autoimmunity Through Outliers. Mark Anderson, MD, PhD. Sept. 16, 2025 (11AM ET). QR code to register.

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 08/09/2025

We're thrilled to share space in Penn Medicine's new collaborative research hub for #immunology, #immunehealth, and #autoimmunity — working with remarkable labs and leaders to advance scientific breakthroughs that benefit patients' lives.

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Katalin Susztak, MD, PhD, and team developed #AI tools and datasets—like the SISKA atlas and CellSpectra—to map 70+ kidney cell types. This advances precision medicine with the potential to reveal new insights into immune-mediated kidney disease. bit.ly/4mSH0lk

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Penn-developed AI tools and datasets help tailor treatments for kidney patients | Penn Today

Penn Medicine and Wharton researchers have partnered to create CellSpectra and SISKA, offering clues to better treatments for kidney disease and beyond.

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Earlier this year, the Colton Center for Autoimmunity at @pennmedicine.bsky.social launched two new Centers of Excellence to advance autoimmune diagnostics and treatment—deepening its impact through the @coltonconsortium.bsky.social. Learn more about the missions of HIT-AI and CREATE: bit.ly/4kRTJCT

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Colton Center for Autoimmunity Consortium - Main

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Congratulations to Sahily Reyes-Esteves, MD, PhD (@sahilyreyes.bsky.social), Assistant Professor of Neurology and Colton Center awardee, and our other Penn Medicine (@pennmedicine.bsky.social) colleagues on being selected for a McCabe Fund Award! 🏆

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Genetic screening may have unlocked a path for treating the severe inflammation associated with many immune diseases by regulating one protein’s role in helping another protein control cell acidity, according to recent research published in Cell by the @minerlab.bsky.social. bit.ly/43Hw6HK

pennmedicine.org

Controlling cell acidity could be key to autoimmune disease | Penn Medicine

Genetic screening may have unlocked a path for treating severe inflammation in autoimmune disease by regulating proteins controlling cell acidity.

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Big news out of @pennmedicine.bsky.social: @davidfajgenbaum.bsky.social, @jbrandmdphd.bsky.social, and colleagues have identified Oligocentric Castleman Disease (OligoCD)—the first new Castleman subtype in 45 years. This discovery has the potential to reshape diagnosis and care for thousands.

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The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, University of Pennsylvania @penncoltoncenter.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

150+ experts came together at the 2025 Penn Colton Center for #Autoimmunity Symposium to discuss breakthroughs in #ImmuneHealth and spotlight Penn’s leadership, future headquarters, and innovations in autoimmunity research and #PrecisionMedicine. Read more: www.coltonconsortium.org/blog/2025-pe...

A large group of Penn Colton Center for Autoimmunity members pose in front of a statue of Benjamin Franklin inside the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, PA.

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