The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
North Shore - LIJ Health System
350 Community Drive, Room 2314
Manhasset, NY 11030
Tel:  (516) 562-3436
Fax: (516) 562-2533
Email: tr@nshs.edu

The Immunobiology Laboratory at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research focuses on the role and function of B lymphocytes in normal immune responses, autoimmune dyscrasias, and malignant lymphomas. Recent work has explored alternate intracellular signaling pathways activated by antigen receptor triggering, unusual functional characteristics of B-1 cells and B-1 cell subsets, differences between B-1 and B-2 cells in producing Treg/Th17 cell differentiation, and the responsible mechanisms and ultimate outcomes of enhanced B-cell signaling produced by FAIM. Further details are available under Interests.
 
The laboratory is led by Dr. Thomas L. Rothstein. Dr. Rothstein completed his internship and residency training in internal medicine at George Washington University Hospital and at Beth Israel Hospital / Harvard Medical School, respectively, interrupted by a research fellowship at the National Cancer Institute with Dr. Michael G. Mage. Dr. Rothstein then completed a fellowship in hematology/oncology at Beth Israel Hospital/Harvard Medical School, the research portion of which was carried out at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with Dr. Malcolm L. Gefter. Subsequently, Dr. Rothstein joined the Section of Hematology in the Department of Medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor. Over the next 24 years, Dr. Rothstein rose to the rank of Professor of Medicine and filled a number of roles including service as Associate Chief for Research in the combined Section of Hematology/Oncology, Director of the Research Training in Blood Diseases and Resources Program, and Director of the Immunobiology Unit.
 
In 2006, Dr. Rothstein was recruited to the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research as Investigator and Head of the Center for Oncology and Cell Biology. At various times over the years, Dr. Rothstein has served as Chair of the Cellular Immunology Study Section of the Arthritis Foundation, as an ad hoc member of many NIH regular and special emphasis study sections, and as an Associate Editor of The Journal of Immunology. He is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians. Dr. Rothstein has mentored 17 graduate students and 24 postdoctoral fellows. Dr. Rothstein’s major and continuing research interests revolve around the lives of B cells, from birth to death, and especially the activation and differentiation events that occur in between.
 
In the most general terms, the work of the Rothstein laboratory is directed toward elucidation of the function and role of B lymphocytes in health and disease. Over the years our efforts have focused on a number of specific, interrelated areas.  These areas currently include studies of B cell receptor signaling, B-1 cell function, B cell/T cell interactions, and apoptosis, and include a program project on molecular determinants of B-1 and B-2 cell responses.