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Welcome to the Selin Lab

About the Selin Lab

Run by viral immunologists Liisa Selin, MD, PhD, and Anna Gil, PhD.
Conducting cutting-edge research focused on understanding human adaptive immune responses and T cell responses in multiple neuroinflammatory and infection-associated chronic illnesses, such as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) long COVID and Multiple Sclerosis.
Investigating the presence and role of T cell exhaustion and double positive CD4+/CD8+ T cells in ME/CFS, Long COVID and Multiple Sclerosis. We were the first to investigate CD8 T cell exhaustion in ME/CFS patients, defining T cell exhaustion by immunophenotype and functional assays.
Our lab's unique findings point to immune dysfunction in infection-associated chronic illness, specifically the possible cause of and potential treatments for ME/CFS, Long COVID, EBV, Chronic Lyme and Multiple Sclerosis. Notably, we found similar immune dysfunction in people with Long COVID and ME/CFS, two illnesses with striking similarities.
Our goal is to conduct clinically significant research in order to advance diagnostics and treatment for these complex diseases, as well as a way to track treatment efficacy.

More about the Selin Lab

Liisa K. Selin, MD, PhD, and Anna Gil, PhD, run a two-woman immunology research lab in the Department of Pathology at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Their research focuses on neuroinflammatory diseases and it has already resulted in cutting edge findings in ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), Long COVID, Epstein Barr Virus (EBV), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Their findings may also apply to Chronic Lyme.

This group of related neuroinflammatory diseases appear to have similarities in immunopathology, including CD8 T cell exhaustion, and increased frequency of CD4+CD8+ T cells, with evidence of difficulty controlling persistent pathogens, such as herpes viruses. Specifically, these researchers investigate the role of T cells in viral immunopathogenesis in ME/CFS and Long COVID, in heterologous immunity and cross-reactive T cell responses to EBV and their role in infectious mononucleosis, and in multiple sclerosis.

The Selin Lab's research findings could point to potential biomarkers, treatments and ways of tracking response to therapy for Long COVID and ME/CFS, things that have been sorely missing. To date, there is no FDA approved treatment for Long COVID and ME/CFS, devastating conditions and diseases with neurological and immunological characteristics.

More info about the Selin Lab is found here, here, here and here.

Praise for the Selin Lab

"It’s exciting to see Liisa Selin’s work. Her focus on immune exhaustion is right on target. Immune restoration as a treatment focus will be important to ME/CFS, and also to the post-COVID illness Long COVID or Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS CoV-2 Infection (PASC)."

-- Nancy Klimas, MD, Director of Nova Southeastern University's Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, awarded a $4 million grant from the CDC to study ME/CFS and Long COVID

"Historically, NIH has dedicated little money towards researching this disease. That has had devastating consequences: few researchers drawn to the field, little research conducted, no biomarker found, no treatments found, no cause or cure found. So the 2021 NIH grant to the Selin Lab is a welcome infusion of NIH resources."

-- Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association

Quotes from Liisa Selin, MD, PhD

"We are driven to conduct research that will translate into tangible help, perhaps even a biomarker and treatments.There are tens of millions in the U.S. with ME/CFS, Long COVID and Chronic Lyme. We will be happy if our work offers them concrete help."

Liisa Selin with quotation

"Tell ME/CFS and Long COVID patients this: You feel exhausted for a reason;
your CD8 T cells are exhausted, immunologically exhausted. Yes, that's a technical term. And, best of all, we can measure it."

Contact Us

Address:

Liisa K. Selin Lab
Department of Pathology
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
9th Floor, Albert Sherman Bldg,
368 Plantation St.
Worcester, MA 01605