Our lab has four main areas of investigation:
(1) costimulation blockade and costimulation independent rejection
(2) xenotransplantation
(3) transplant diagnostics
(4) transplant outcomes
As a transplant surgeon and scientist, Dr. Adams is interested in developing the best therapies and diagnostics for transplant patients, by understanding the fundamental mechanisms of the immune system that give rise to organ rejection. As a graduate student, under the direction of Drs. Chris Larsen and Tom Pearson, Dr. Adams investigated the efficacy of costimulation blockade, and helped develop Belatacept, now a clinically available therapy for transplant patients. Belatacept leads to improved survival and kidney function for renal transplant patients.
We are located at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, in the Dwan Variety Club Building. Our lab is connected to the University of Minnesota Medical Center, and is composed of graduate students, post-doctoral research fellows, technicians and undergraduate students. We have active mouse, non-human primate, and clinical projects. Our research extends from basic science to transplant outcomes. We are a collaborative group, with active projects with researchers both at our home institution (the University of Minnesota), Emory, Georgia Tech and across the United States.