The Nigrovic lab studies basic immune mechanisms of inflammatory arthritis and lupus in adults and children. This work employs both murine models (e.g. K/BxN, IL-1ra-/-) and human specimens. Active projects include:

1) Innate mechanisms of inflammatory synovitis. Current studies focus on the role of neutrophils and other innate mechanisms in arthritis and other inflammatory disease, as well as on the role of T resident memory cells in disease chronicity and recurrence.

2) Megakaryocytes as immune cells. We study how megakaryocytes function in immunity, independent of their daughter platelets, including via a novel cell-in-cell interaction termed emperipolesis.

3) Genetic insights into autoimmune disease pathogenesis. We have developed several novel molecular tools that help bridge the gap between genome wide association studies (GWAS) and molecular pathways, with the goal of using human genetics to identify pathogenic mechanisms in arthritis and lupus.

Dr. Nigrovic is chief of the Division of Immunology at Boston Children’s Hospital, encompassing Allergy, Clinical Immunology, Rheumatology and Dermatology. Trained in pediatric and adult rheumatology, he also directs the Center for Adults with Pediatric Rheumatic Illness (CAPRI) at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He is a deputy editor of Arthritis & Rheumatology and an elected member of ASCI and the Association of American Physicians.