Immunity, Inflammation, & Disease Laboratory | National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Skip Navigation Immunity, Inflammation, & Disease Laboratory Close the left navigation Add Michael B. Fessler, M.D. Chief, Clinical Research Branch; Clinical Director and Chair - Clinical Advisory Committee (CAC); Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-4081 [email protected] Anton M. Jetten, Ph.D. Acting Chief, Immunity, Inflammation, and Disease Laboratory and Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-4094 [email protected] Research Summary The Immunity, Inflammation, and Disease Laboratory focuses on understanding how the human body protects itself against environmental exposures. Diet, commercial chemicals, or bacterial allergens, may pose a threat to the body, and as a result, the immune system produces white blood cells that recognize and respond to these foreign substances called antigens. Sometimes the white blood cells release too many chemicals in the blood, which leads to inflammation. Laboratory members investigate the mechanisms that cause inflammatory diseases that occur in the thymus, heart, lungs, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, and intestine. Principal Investigators Cell Biology Group Anton M. Jetten, Ph.D. Acting Chief, Immunity, Inflammation, and Disease Laboratory and Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-4094 [email protected] Clinical Investigation of Host Defense Michael B. Fessler, M.D. Chief, Clinical Research Branch; Clinical Director and Chair - Clinical Advisory Committee (CAC); Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-4081 [email protected] Environmental Cardiopulmonary Disease Group Darryl C. Zeldin, M.D. Scientific Director and Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-3641 [email protected] Environmental Epigenomics & Disease Group Douglas A. Bell, Ph.D. (Retired) Special Volunteer Tel 984-287-3862 [email protected] Immunogenetics Group Donald N. Cook, Ph.D. Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-4094 [email protected] Integrative Genomic Epidemiology Group Stephanie J. London, M.D., Dr.P.H. Scientist Emeritus Tel 984-287-3688 [email protected] Matrix Biology Group Stavros Garantziotis, M.D. Tenure Track Investigator; Immunity, Inflammation, and Disease Laboratory Tel 984-287-4412 [email protected] Scientific Support Staff Administrative Support Latonya D. Washington Administrative Specialist Tel 984-287-3449 [email protected] Biological Animal Support Anne L. Perrow Biologist Tel 984-287-4231 [email protected] Laura M. Degraff Biologist Tel 984-287-4230 [email protected] Publications Recent Publications Little-Letsinger S, Karmaus P, Fessler M, Hamilton S. Bone marrow and splenic immune composition is unperturbed by short-term exposure to bedding from pet store mice. ImmunoHorizons 2026 Apr 11;10(4):. Abstract Little-Letsinger S, Karmaus P, Fessler M, Hamilton S. Bone marrow and splenic immune composition is unperturbed by short-term exposure to bedding from pet store mice. ImmunoHorizons. 2026 Apr 11 Janjetovic Z, Qayyum S, Reddy S, Podgorska E, Scott S, Szpotan J, Mobley A, Li W, Boda V, Ravichandran S, Tuckey R, Jetten A, Slominski A. Correction: Janjetovic et al. Novel Vitamin D3 Hydroxymetabolites Require Involvement of the Vitamin D Receptor or Retinoic Acid-Related Orphan Receptors for Their Antifibrogenic Activities in Human Fibroblasts. Cells 2024, 13 , 239. Cells 2026 Mar 31;15(7):. Abstract Janjetovic Z, Qayyum S, Reddy S, Podgorska E, Scott S, Szpotan J, Mobley A, Li W, Boda V, Ravichandran S, Tuckey R, Jetten A, Slominski A. Correction: Janjetovic et al. Novel Vitamin D3 Hydroxymetabolites Require Involvement of the Vitamin D Receptor or Retinoic Acid-Related Orphan Receptors for Their Antifibrogenic Activities in Human Fibroblasts. Cells 2024, 13 , 239. Cells. 2026 Mar 31 Gao Y, Souza L, Kang H, Li Z, Hernandez-Guerrero J, Alves F, Zhang W, Sharma V, Hanks S, Yu J, Tredwin C, Jetten A, Soares C, Hu B. SARS-CoV-2 nonspike structural proteins hijack mucosa epithelial cell fate. Cell death & disease 2026 Mar 23;17(1):. Abstract Gao Y, Souza L, Kang H, Li Z, Hernandez-Guerrero J, Alves F, Zhang W, Sharma V, Hanks S, Yu J, Tredwin C, Jetten A, Soares C, Hu B. SARS-CoV-2 nonspike structural proteins hijack mucosa epithelial cell fate. Cell death & disease. 2026 Mar 23 Collier J, Kang H, Grimm S, Mukherjee T, Srivastava C, Jetten A. Regulation of PKM2 expression and function by GLIS3 during metabolic reprogramming in polycystic kidneys. Experimental & molecular medicine 2026 Mar;58(3):932-941. Abstract Collier J, Kang H, Grimm S, Mukherjee T, Srivastava C, Jetten A. Regulation of PKM2 expression and function by GLIS3 during metabolic reprogramming in polycystic kidneys. Experimental & molecular medicine. 2026 Mar Edin M, Graves J, Zeldin D. Regulation of P450-derived epoxy fatty acids in cardiovascular diseases. Redox biochemistry and chemistry 2025 Dec;14:. Abstract Edin M, Graves J, Zeldin D. Regulation of P450-derived epoxy fatty acids in cardiovascular diseases. Redox biochemistry and chemistry. 2025 Dec More Recent Publications from PubMed Related Links Jobs at NIEHS Research Training Back to Top Last Reviewed: April 22, 2026