Dr. Rachel Hewitt

Nano and Micro-particulates and Cellular Immunity

The primary focus of my work has been investigating how nano and sub-micron sized particles influence cellular immune responses, utilizing conventional and imaging flow cytometry as key techniques. I am especially passionate about the use of imaging techniques for quantitative deep profiling of cells and internal cellular processes, to advance our understanding of cellular mechanisms in heath and disease, and for the development of novel therapeutics.

Publications

Key publications:

Image‐Based Cell Profiling Enables Quantitative Tissue Microscopy in Gastroenterology

Cytometry Part A

2020-12-23 | journal-article

DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.24042

Small and dangerous? Potential toxicity mechanisms of common exposure particles and nanoparticles

Current Opinion in Toxicology

2020-02 | journal-article

DOI: 10.1016/j.cotox.2020.01.006

Imaging flow cytometry methods for quantitative analysis of label-free crystalline silica particle interactions with immune cells

AIMS Biophysics

2020 | journal-article

DOI: 10.3934/BIOPHY.2020012

Ultrasmall silica nanoparticles directly ligate the T cell receptor complex

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

2019-12-23 | journal-article

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1911360117Part of ISSN: 0027-8424Part of ISSN: 1091-6490

Non-Functionalized Ultrasmall Silica Nanoparticles Directly and Size-Selectively Activate T Cells

ACS Nano

2018-11-27 | journal-article

DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b03363Part of ISSN: 1936-0851Part of ISSN: 1936-086X

Imaging flow cytometry assays for quantifying pigment grade titanium dioxide particle internalization and interactions with immune cells in whole blood.

Cytometry. Part A : the journal of the International Society for Analytical Cytology

2017-09 | journal-article

PMID: 28941170DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.23245

Reduction of T-Helper Cell Responses to Recall Antigen Mediated by Codelivery with Peptidoglycan via the Intestinal Nanomineral-Antigen Pathway.

Frontiers in Immunology

2017 | journal-article

PMID: 28367148DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00284

An endogenous nanomineral chaperones luminal antigen and peptidoglycan to intestinal immune cells

Nature Nanotechnology

2015 | journal-article

DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2015.19EID: 2-s2.0-84927125760

Immuno-inhibitory PD-L1 can be induced by a Peptidoglycan/NOD2 mediated pathway in primary monocytic cells and is deficient in Crohn's patients with homozygous NOD2 mutations.

Clinical Immunology

2012 | journal-article

DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2012.01.016EID: 2-s2.0-84859778181

MHC class I molecules with superenhanced CD8 binding properties bypass the requirement for cognate TCR recognition and nonspecifically activate CTLs

Journal of Immunology

2010 | journal-article

DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0902398EID: 2-s2.0-77951650743

High incidence of spontaneous disease in an HLA-DR15 and TCR transgenic multiple sclerosis model.

Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)

2005-02 | journal-article

PMID: 15699121DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.174.4.1938

The bisphosphonate acute phase response: Rapid and copious production of proinflammatory cytokines by peripheral blood γδ T cells in response to aminobisphosphonates is inhibited by statins

Clinical and Experimental Immunology

2005 | journal-article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2005.02665.xEID: 2-s2.0-11244311877

High prevalence of autoreactive, neuroantigen-specific CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells in multiple sclerosis revealed by novel flow cytometric assay

Blood

2004 | journal-article

DOI: 10.1182/blood-2003-11-4025EID: 2-s2.0-2542418993

Recognition of nonpeptide antigens by human Vγ9Vδ2 T cells requires contact with cells of human origin

Clinical and Experimental Immunology

2004 | journal-article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2004.02472.xEID: 2-s2.0-2542568696

Other publications: