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Maziar Divangahi

Position
Professor, Department of Medicine, McGill University
Associate Member, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, McGill University
Strauss Chair in Respiratory Diseases
Associate Director, McGill International TB Centre

Currently accepting graduate students and postdoctoral fellows

Research Interests

Our lab focuses on investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the cross-talk between innate and adaptive immunity to major pulmonary infectious diseases, such as influenza and tuberculosis. Host survival during infection in vital organs, such as the lung, requires a delicate balance between host resistance, which is essential for detecting and eliminating the pathogens, and disease tolerance, which is critical in minimizing collateral tissue damage. We are also investigating how to harness the power of innate immunity in vaccine via reprogramming of hematopoietic stem cells. In summary, understanding the regulatory mechanisms involved in both host-resistance and tolerance is essential for the future development of an effective therapy or vaccine.

Research Foci

  1. Host defense (Resistance & Tolerance) against influenza and TB
  2. Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Infection and Vaccine
  3. Trained Innate Immunity
  4. Macrophage Cell Death Programs
  5. Metabolism in Infectious Diseases
  6. Eicosanoids in Infectious Diseases

Article in International Innovation

*International Innovation, published by Research Media, is the leading global dissemination resource for the wider scientific, technology and research communities, dedicated to disseminating the latest science, research and technological innovations on a global level. More information and a complimentary subscription offer to the publication can be found at: www.researchmedia.eu

Featured Publications

Mitochondrial cyclophilin D promotes disease tolerance by licensing NK cell development and IL-22 production against influenza virus

Downey J, Randolph HE, Pernet E, Tran KA, Khader SA, King IL, Barreiro LB, Divangahi M. Cell Rep. 2022 Jun 21;39(12):110974.

Brain motor and fear circuits regulate leukocytes during acute stress

Poller WC, Downey J, Mooslechner AA, Khan N, Li L, Chan CT, McAlpine CS, Xu C, Kahles F, He S, Janssen H, Mindur JE, Singh S, Kiss MG, Alonso-Herranz L, Iwamoto Y, Kohler RH, Wong LP, Chetal K, Russo SJ, Sadreyev RI, Weissleder R, Nahrendorf M, Frenette PS, Divangahi M, Swirski FK. Nature. 2022 Jul;607(7919):578-584.

Lack of evidence for intergenerational inheritance of immune resistance to infections

Kaufmann E, Landekic M, Downey J, Chronopoulos J, Teimouri Nezhad S, Tran K, Vinh DC, Barreiro LB, Divangahi M. Nat Immunol. 2022 Feb;23(2):203-207.

Training the metaorganism: the microbial counterpart

King IL, Divangahi M. Cell. 2021 Jan;184(3):574-576.

Trained immunity, tolerance, priming and differentiation: distinct immunological processes

Divangahi M, et al. Nat Immunol. 2021 Jan;22(1):2-6.

M. tuberculosis Reprograms Hematopoietic Stem Cells to Limit Myelopoiesis and Impair Trained Immunity

Khan N, Downey J, Sanz J, Kaufmann E, Blankenhaus B, Pacis A, Pernet E, Ahmed E, Cardoso S, Nijnik A, Mazer B, Sassetti C, Behr MA, Soares MP, Barreiro LB, Divangahi M. Cell. 2020 Oct 29;183(3):752-770.e22

Editorial: Evolving Mechanisms of Disease Tolerance

King IL, Divangahi M. Front Immunol. 2019 Dec 20;10:2974.

Leukotriene B4-type I interferon axis regulates macrophage-mediated disease tolerance to influenza infection

Pernet E, Downey J, Vinh DC, Powell WS, Divangahi M. Nat Microbiol. 2019 Aug;4(8):1389-1400.

BCG Educates Hematopoietic Stem Cells to Generate Protective Innate Immunity against Tuberculosis

Kaufmann E, Sanz J, Dunn JL, Khan N, Mendonça LE, Pacis A, Tzelepis F, Pernet E, Dumaine A, Grenier JC, Mailhot-Léonard F, Ahmed E, Belle J, Besla R, Mazer B, King IL, Nijnik A, Robbins CS, Barreiro LB, Divangahi M. Cell. 2018 Jan 11;172(1-2):176-190.e19.


View Maziar Divangahi’s recent posts and news:

Spring 2023 Student Awards

Congratulations to the 2023 recipients of FRQS and CIHR studentship and fellowship awards! We wish you much success!

2023 MUHC Foundation MCI Innovation Grant Awards

Congratulations to the 2023 MUHC Foundation MCI Innovation Grants competition winners, Jonathon Campbell, Maziar Divangahi, Nicole Ezer, Simon Rousseau, Sushmita Pamidi, Salman Qureshi and Bryan Ross!

Spring 2022 Student Awards

Congratulations to the recipients of FRQS and CIHR studentship and fellowship awards! We wish you much success!

Muscular dystrophy and trained immunity

Basil Petrof, MD, and his research team, have uncovered a new mechanism of inflammation in muscular dystrophy, paving the way for the development of new therapies.

Three CIHR Grants Awarded!

Congrats to Maziar Divangahi and Faiz Ahmad Khan on their Fall 2020 Project Grants and Benjamin M Smith on his COPD Catalyst Grant

Flu Vaccines and COVID-19

Dr. Maziar Divangahi on how flu vaccines can help train our body’s immunity to fight the COVID-19 virus.


Contact Information

Meakins-Christie Laboratories
RI-MUHC, Block E
Office EM2.2248
Lab E03.2379
1001 Decarie Blvd.
Montreal QC H4A 3J1
Canada

Tel: 514-934-1934 Ext. 76237 (lab)
Tel: 514-934-1934 Ext. 76431 (office)
Tel: 514-934-1934 Ext. 76172 (admin)
Fax: 514-933-3962
E-Mailmaziar.divangahi [at] mcgill.ca

Education & Training

BSc (Biol) McMaster, 2000
PhD (Immunol), McGill, 2005
PDF (Inf Dis), McMaster, 2007
PDF (Innate Immunity), McGill, 2008
PDF (Macrophage Death), Harvard, 2010

Teaching

Biochemical Pathology (Cytokine biology), PATH 607