Debby Walser-Kuntz Assistant Professor of Biology Department of Biology Carleton College One North College Street Northfield, MN 55057 Office Hulings 328 dwalser@carleton.edu

Courses I teach:

Introductory Biology:Energetics and Genetics Immunology Microbiology Topics in Virology Seminar

Research Interests

 

I am an immunologist with a background in autoimmune disorders and an interest in the potential interactions between the environment and the immune system. My lab is currently focusing on the role that chemicals in the environment may play in altering an organism's immune response to foreign antigens. We are testing how a common component of plastics, bisphenol A, affects immune cell activation, cell survival, and cytokine responses in inbred strains of mice.

Curriculum Vitae

Education: Ph.D. (1995) Mayo Graduate School; M.A.T. (1987) Colorado College; B.A. (1985) Concordia College

Recent publications:

Walser-Kuntz, D.R., Weyand, C.M. and J.J. Goronzy. 1997. Influence of antigenic experience on BJ gene segment usage in human CD4+ T cells. International Immunol. 9:1785-1792.

Yoshikawa, H., E.H. Lambert, D.R.Walser-Kuntz, Y. Yasukawa, D.J. McCormick, and V.A. Lennon. 1997. A 17-mer self-peptide of acetylcholine receptor binds to B cell MHC class II, activates helper T cells, and stimulates autoantibody production and electrophysiologic signs of myasthenia gravis. Journal of Immunology 159:1570-1577.

Goronzy, J.J., D. Walser-Kuntz, J. Fulbright, and C. M. Weyand. 1996. BJ Gene Segment Usage and Binding of BV-Specific Antibodies. The Immunologist 4:30-32.

Walser-Kuntz, D.R., C.M. Weyand, A.J. Weaver, W.M. O'Fallon, and J.J. Goronzy. 1995. Mechanisms underlying the formation of the human T cell receptor repertoire in rheumatoid arthritis. Immunity 2: 597-605.

Walser-Kuntz, D.R., C.M. Weyand, J.W. Fulbright, S.B. Moore, and J.J.Goronzy. 1995. HLA-DRB1 Molecules and Antigenic Experience Shape the Repertoire of CD4 T-cells. Human Immunology 44:203-209.

West Nile Virus Project

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