Juliana Idoyaga, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular Biology
Juliana Idoyaga, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular Biology
Research Interests
Our lab is driven by one central question: how do dendritic cells (DCs)—the immune system’s decision-makers—control lymphocyte responses? DCs can kickstart immunity to a wide range of stimuli or promote tolerance, depending on the context, making them ideal targets for next-generation therapies in cancer, infection, and autoimmunity. But here’s the challenge: DC biology remains elusive. In particular, understanding what makes DCs unique—especially the molecular mechanisms that shape their identity and function—requires a comparative approach that goes beyond traditional models.
To tackle this, we combine high-resolution -omics technologies, in vivo models, and clinically relevant therapies to study human and mouse DCs side by side, along with their close relatives—monocytes and macrophages. This integrative strategy enables us to define the distinct molecular programs that set DCs apart within the broader immune landscape. Our work spans five key areas: (1) the origins and functions of emerging DC subsets; (2) how DC gene programs are regulated; (3) how DCs specialize in different tissues; (4) the roles DCs play in human immune responses; and (5) how cancer therapies reshape DC function.
By understanding how DCs develop, adapt, and act compared to monocytes and macrophages, we aim to uncover the core principles that define their roles in the immune system. Our goal is to turn these insights into precise, personalized, and effective DC-based immune therapies.
Selected Publications
Tadepalli S., Clements D.R., Raquer-McKay H.M., Lüdtke A., Saravanan S., Seong D., Vitek L., Richards C.M., Carette J.E., Mack M., Gottfried-Blackmore A., Graves E.E., Idoyaga J. CD301b+ monocyte-derived dendritic cells mediates resistance to radiotherapy. J.Exp.Med. 2025. Jun 2;222(6):e20231717. PMCID: PMC11949126.
Raquer-McKay HM, Maqueda-Alfaro RA, Saravanan S, Arroyo Hornero R, Clausen BE, Gottfried-Blackmore A, Idoyaga J. Monocytes give rise to Langerhans cells that preferentially migrate to lymph nodes at steady state. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 2024. Nov;19;121(47):e2404927121. PMCID: PMC11588065.
Sulczewski F.B., Maqueda-Alfaro R.A., Alcántara-Hernández M., Perez O.A., Saravanan S., Yun T.J., Seong D., Arroyo Hornero R., Raquer-McKay H.M., Esteva E., Lanzar Z.R., Leylek R.A., Adams N.M., Das A., Rahman A.H., Gottfried-Blackmore A., Reizis B., Idoyaga J. Transitional dendritic cells are distinct from conventional DC2 precursors and mediate proinflammatory antiviral responses. Nat. Immunol. 2023. Aug;24(8):1265- 1280.
Tadepalli S., Clements D.R., Saravanan S., Arroyo Hornero R., Lüdtke A., Blackmore B., Paulo J.A., Gottfried-Blackmore A., Seong D., Park S., Chan L., Kopecky B.J., Liu Z., Ginhoux F., Lavine K.J., Murphy J.P., Mack M., Graves E.E., Idoyaga J. Rapid recruitment and IFN-I-mediated activation of monocytes dictate focal radiotherapy efficacy. Sci. Immunol. 2023. Jun 2;8(84):eadd7446. PMCID: PMC10340791
Arroyo Hornero R, Idoyaga J. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells: A dendritic cell in disguise. Mol. Immunol. 2023. Jul;159:38-45.
Reizis B, Idoyaga J, Dalod M, Barrat F, Naik S, Trinchieri G, Tussiwand R, Cella M, Colonna M. Reclassification of plasmacytoid dendritic cells as innate lymphocytes is premature. Nat. Rev. Immunol. 2023. May;23(5):336-337
Leylek R., Alcántara-Hernández M., Granja J.M., Chavez M., Perez K., Diaz O.R., Li R., Satpathy A.T., Chang H.Y., Idoyaga J. Chromatin landscape underpinning human dendritic cell heterogeneity. Cell Reports. 2020. Sep 22;32(12):108180. PMCID: PMC7546547
Leylek R., Alcántara-Hernández M., Lanzar Z., Lüdtke A., Perez O.A., Reizis B., Idoyaga J. Integrated cross-species analysis identifies a conserved transitional dendritic cell population. Cell Reports. 2019. Dec 10; 29(11):3736-3750e8. PMCID: PMC6951814.
Alcántara-Hernández M., Leylek R., Wagar L., Engleman E.G., Keler T., Marinkovich M.P., Davis M.M., Nolan G.P., Idoyaga J. High-dimensional phenotypic mapping of human dendritic cells reveals interindividual variation and tissue specialization. Immunity. 2017. Dec. 19;47:1037-1050. PMCID: PMC5738280.
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