Diversity in Life Sciences

I am Jonathan Silver, I have a BS in Biology from UNC-Chapel Hill and a PhD in Immunology from the University of Pennsylvania. As a graduate student at UPenn I studied in the lab of Dr. Chris Hunter, where I investigated the role of the gp130 family of cytokines (IL-6 and IL-27 in particular) in mediating the innate immune response to the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Following my PhD I did a postdoctoral fellowship at Medimmune working with Dr. Alison Humbles where I studied the role of the alarmin IL-33 in mediating exaggerated anti-viral immune responses in a mouse model of COPD. I also studied functional and phenotypic plasticity in Type 2 innate lymphoid cells. My postdoctoral work culminated in a departmental Golden Pipette award, company-wide Scientific Publication of the Year and a patent application for manipulation of ILC plasticity in COPD exacerbations. I have remained at Medimmune, now AstraZeneca, and am now a Senior Scientist running drug programs centered around prevention of infections in COPD patients, which are a primary driver of acute exacerbations and disease progression in these patients. I am passionate about collaborating with colleagues to get the most out of our science and to drive our programs forward to ultimately help patients living with debilitating conditions.