The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign recently celebrated the investiture of Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) Program Leader Erik R. Nelson as the Keith W. and Sara M. Kelley Endowed Professor of Immunophysiology in the Department of Animal Sciences.
Keith W. Kelley is Professor Emeritus of Immunophysiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Kelley earned his Ph.D. in 1976, a time when the immune system was considered only to protect against infectious diseases. He helped reshape that view by bringing physiology to immunology. It is now accepted that there is an active dialogue between the immune system and brain, and these discoveries have improved human and animal health. The Keith W. and Sara M. Kelley Professorship in Immunophysiology was created in 2018.
The CCIL asked Erik to share his perspective on this significant milestone in his career.
What does this professional milestone as the Keith W. and Sara M. Kelley Endowed Professor mean to you personally?
It is a true honor to be recognized in this manner. It is especially special since Dr. Kelley defined the field of immunophysiology – the concept that immune cells are not isolated, nor do they only attack infection. As an endocrinologist, I appreciate this context where immune cells are both regulated and regulate the larger homeostatic ecosystem.
Erik Nelson is the Co-Leader of the Cancer Center at Illinois’ Cancer Engineering and Biological Systems Program
How does this recognition shape your vision for the future of your scientific career?
This recognition provides me with the confidence to continue making inroads into how we can better ‘re-educate’ the immune system to fight cancer.
What new opportunities in cancer research, education, and training do you imagine this endowed professorship might open?
This will allow us to expand our research into related areas for increased impact. For example, many of our findings of immune cells within a cancer context, but may also apply to fighting infectious disease.
How do you see immunophysiology contributing to breakthroughs in cancer treatment or prevention?
The tumor microenvironment is a complex ecosystem. Immune cells are not isolated in this environment. So, we can’t take for granted that they behave the same way with all the different inputs in the tumor. The field of endocrinology and immunophysiology allow us to consider the whole ecosystem together. This paradigm will allow us to move beyond conventional approaches where only one cell type is considered at a time. Ultimately, our goal is to leverage this information to develop new therapeutics with more efficacy and fewer side effects.
How do you plan to leverage this role to foster interdisciplinary collaboration with the Cancer Center at Illinois?
The immune system is important for fighting tumors. It is also important for fighting and preventing infection. Many cancer patients have compromised immune systems due to the cancer and side effects of the medications they are on. This professorship will allow us to explore new ways to ramp-up the immune system for both fighting cancer and preventing infection.
Erik Nelson
Professor, Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Areas of Research
Animal Models, Breast Cancer, Cancer Survivors, Endocrinology (Basic Science), Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Thyroid Cancer
Research Program and Theme
- Program: Cancer Engineering and Biological Systems
- Theme: Mechanistic and Quantitative Biology
Research Focus
Erik Nelson is a trained endocrinologist with specific expertise in nuclear receptor pharmacology. He has made significant contributions to the fields of reproductive physiology, pharmacology, bone biology, and cancer biology. Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. For this reason, Nelson integrated his expertise in physiology, endocrinology, and in vivo models to pursue translational breast cancer research. The overarching goal of the Nelson lab’s research is to develop novel chemopreventative strategies and lifestyle changes aimed at reducing cancer incidence and mortality.
Editor’s notes:
To contact Erik Nelson, email him at enels@illinois.edu.
This story was written by Jonathan King, CCIL Communications Specialist.