Stromal Immunology

Research into and interest in the role of stromal cells in immunology has exploded over the past 15 years. The conventional view that placed non-hematopoietic stromal cells as passive, structural, and supportive entities has now been replaced with an appreciation that these cells have active, dynamic roles during immune responses, and thus impact on the pathophysiology of multiple immune-mediated diseases. This book serves to provide solid grounding in the fundamentals of stromal immunology, focusing on the biological aspects of their function in addition to highlighting key areas for the development of the field in the future. The book is also a unique source of information on emerging concepts that place stromal cells from outside lymphoid organs as major contributors to the biology of diverse conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, chronic parasitic infection, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer.

About the Author

Dr. Benjamin Owens is Head of Business Development at EUSA Pharma and an RF Lecturer in Medicine at Somerville College, University of Oxford. His prior academic research programmes focused on the role of intestinal stromal cells in human chronic intestinal inflammation. In addition to his role in Industry, he teaches stromal immunology to final year medical students. Dr. Matthew Lakins is a Senior Scientist at F-star Biotechnology Ltd. in Cambridge, UK. Prior to this he was an MRC Career Development Fellow at the MRC Cancer Unit at the University of Cambridge. Here his research interests lay at the interface of tumor-associated stromal biology and immunology, ultimately working toward understanding and exploiting the ability of the tumor microenvironment to manipulate host tumor immunogenicity. Together, Dr. Owens and Dr. Lakins founded the BSI Stromal Immunology affinity group in 2010 and have since organized two internationalmeetings in York  and Cambridge.