Adrian Erlebacher, MD, PhD

Work in the Erlebacher laboratory lies at the intersection of immunology and reproductive biology. Historically, we have focused on the immunological paradox of fetomaternal tolerance - i.e., how the fetus and placenta avoid rejection by the maternal immune system during pregnancy - with one long-term goal being the application of underlying mechanisms to the induction of antigen-specific immune tolerance in the clinical arena. We also study how uterine quiescence is established and maintained during pregnancy, as well as the immunological and epigenetic pathways that control gestation length and parturition induction. These interweaving lines of investigation have implications for the pathogenesis of preterm labor, preeclampsia, early pregnancy failure, and other disorders of maternal/fetal health.