“Choosing the T-cell profession: the mechanisms within” Keynote Talk

About this event

"Choosing the T-cell profession: the mechanisms within" Dr. Ellen Rothenberg (Distinguished Professor of Biology, California Institute of Technology; A.D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell) Thursday, November 19, 2026 4:00pm ⋅ Lecture Hall 5, College of Veterinary Medicine Open to all ⋅ Reception to follow in CVM Atrium. An A.D. White Professors-at-Large Program keynote public talk. Cosponsored by the Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology and the Dept. of Molecular Biology and Genetics. Dr. Ellen Rothenberg is a Distinguished Professor of Biology at the California Institute of Technology and an internationally recognized molecular immunologist whose research explains how blood stem cells develop into T-cells of the immune system. Her work reveals how networks of genes, regulatory proteins, and cellular signals work together—often at the level of individual cells—to guide critical developmental decisions that shape immune function. Rothenberg’s research has provided a unifying framework for understanding how cells make stable developmental choices within complex biological systems. By integrating molecular biology, genomics, and quantitative approaches, her work has revealed how timing, gene regulation, and cellular context shape immune cell identity. These insights have influenced thinking well beyond immunology, informing broader questions in developmental and systems biology. Full bio.