The La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution dedicated to understanding the immune system and discovering new ways to protect against disease. Founded in 1988, LJI is internationally recognized for its contributions to immunology, including the discovery of novel cytokines and receptors involved in immunity and inflammation. The Institute is home to more than 400 scientists and staff who work collaboratively to advance knowledge about the immune system and improve human health.
LJI’s research programs are organized into four divisions: Immunity, Inflammation, Infectious Disease, and Vaccines & Microbes. Within these divisions, scientists investigate a broad range of topics related to immunity, including autoimmunity, cancer immunotherapy, infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, allergy and asthma. Much of LJI’s research is focused on understanding how the innate and adaptive immune systems work together to fight disease. Recent discoveries by LJI scientists have led to new insights into the role of the microbiome in immunity and opened up new avenues for developing vaccines against infections such as influenza.
In addition to its cutting-edge basic science research programs, LJI also has a strong translational medicine program that focuses on developing new therapies for autoimmune diseases, cancer and infectious diseases. The Institute has collaborative relationships with several pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology startups that are working on translating LJI discoveries into clinical treatments. Several therapeutic candidates derived from LJI research are currently being tested in clinical trials.
The La Jolla Institute for Immunology is one of the world’s leading centers for immunological research. Its mission is to understand how the immune system works; discover new ways to protect against disease; develop better treatments for conditions like allergies , autoimmune disorders , cancer , infections ; and train future leaders in immunology .