Jan Peter Dutz

MD, FRCPC

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital
Head, Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Affiliate Member, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia

Vaccination is one of the most efficient and cost-effective methods of promoting health. Immunization as a possible treatment for cancer is a recent concept. One of the limitations of current vaccine protocols is inefficient priming for cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which are important in the control of viral infections and tumours. Skin dendritic cells are potent antigen presenters to the immune system. However, the skin historically has been regarded as a barrier and has not been intensively studied as an organ of immunization.

Our laboratory is engaged in studies to optimize the use of the skin as an organ to alter systemic immune responses. In separate projects, we are studying the priming or activation of T cells involved in models of systemic lupus erythematosus and juvenile onset diabetes mellitus.