Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Harvard Medical School

Investigator, Asst Prof (M) Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Mass General Research Institute

early life immunity; ibd; igf2bp3; immune development; innate lymphoid cells; microbiota; rxra

The Jain lab is housed in the Department of Pediatrics within the Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center at MGH. We are a young lab of ambitious, motivated and committed individuals with a shared interest in early life immunity. The driving force of our work is the idea that pre- and postnatal experiences that impact immune development can have long-term consequences on health. Immune system programming starts early in life and may influence the risk of developing conditions such as allergic, autoimmune and neuropsychiatric disorders in childhood and adulthood. Therefore, an understanding of how the immune system is ‘educated’ or ‘mis-educated’ in early life will provide opportunities to assess disease risk and pathology with a new perspective. 

We conduct basic research to answer fundamental questions about early life immune development and function. Our studies have important translational potential that will inform future public health initiatives and draw attention to strategies that boost immune responses in the vulnerable early life period. We are motivated by our conviction that no child should suffer or die from a preventable illness. Our combined expertise in immunology, nutrition and bioinformatics uniquely positions us to conduct rigorous science to advance this common goal.

Our research is centered around 2 main programs:

1)    Ontogeny of the immune system: We study the role of specific genes in directing hematopoietic precursor cells down myeloid and lymphoid developmental pathways

2)    Microbial programming of immunity: We investigate when and how microbes influence development and functionality of the early life immune system.