Vijay A. Rathinam, DVM, PhD

The overall goal of our research efforts is to understand the immunologic basis of infectious and inflammatory diseases. The recognition of invading pathogens by the innate immune system is central to the development of anti-microbial immunity. The innate immune system is composed of germ-line encoded receptors that collectively serve to monitor the extracellular and intracellular compartments for signs of infection or tissue injury. A key component of innate immune system is the inflammasome, a large multiprotein complex that governs the activation of the proteolytic enzymes caspase-1 and caspase-11. These caspases in turn regulate maturation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, Interleukin-1? and IL-18 or a rapid inflammatory form of cell death called pyroptosis.<br><br>We have demonstrated an important role for AIM2 inflammasome, which is activated by microbial DNA in the cytosol, in host defense against cytosolic bacterial pathogens and DNA viruses (Rathinam et al., Nature Immunology 2010). Our latest work identified a novel TRIF-type I interferon pathway that licenses NLRP3 inflammasome activation by Gram-negative bacteria via an inflammatory protease caspase-11 (Rathinam et al., Cell 2012). Our current research focus is on the identification of novel innate immune signal transduction pathways that link the recognition of microbial pathogens and endogenous danger signals to the activation of inflammasomes and their role in anti-microbial immunity and inflammatory diseases. Decoding the molecular basis of the complex network of innate immune mechanisms is critical for the discovery of novel antimicrobial therapies and rational design of intervention measures in inflammatory diseases.

Journal Articles Structural basis and regulation of GSDME pore formation. Teran, Evelyn; Tian, Tian; Wang, Chengliang; Wang, Xinzheng; Wang, Jinghan; Ni, Dongchun; Rathinam, Vijay A; Ruan, Jianbin Nature communications 2026 Mar; Harnessing the microbiome to regulate myeloid TREM2 expression and innate immune responses. Mihori, Saki; Nichols, Frank C; Jellison, Evan R; Blesso, Christopher N; Graziano, Vincent; Rathinam, Vijay; Clark, Robert B ImmunoHorizons 2026 Jan;10(1): LPS-induced structural reorganization and polymerization drive noncanonical inflammasome activation. Wang, Chengliang; Lacey, Philip; Tian, Tian; Teran, Evelyn; Liaqat, Maham; Shivcharan, Sonia; Shumba, Patience; He, Jie; Rathinam, Vijay A; Wysocki, Vicki H; Ruan, Jianbin Science advances 2026 Jan;12(1):eadz4623 RNA N