Dr. Rusung Tan
Childhood immunological diseases are devastating and range from the common and chronic to the rare and confounding. Dr. Rusung Tan is a pathologist, medical microbiologist and immunologist studying the function of immune cells, including cytotoxic T lymphocytes, natural killer and natural killer T cells in two diseases, type 1 diabetes and X-linked lymphoproliferative disease. While supportive treatments are available for both conditions, Dr. Tan’s work focuses on understanding the pathophysiology of these diseases and seeking cures.

In type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys the body’s own insulin producing cells. Being diagnosed with this disease in childhood means a lifetime dependency on insulin, as well as increased risk of cardiovascular disease, blindness, and nerve and kidney damage. Dr. Tan’s research looks at identifying proteins that are critical to the immune system’s ability to recognize insulin producing beta cells. Identifying these proteins in humans will help pave the way to early diagnosis and the ultimate goal of a cure.

The other focus of Dr. Tan’s research is X-linked lymphoproliferative disease (XLP). As a pathologist and medical microbiologist at BC Children’s Hospital, Dr. Tan has seen firsthand the effects of this rare disease, an immune disorder caused by a deficiency of natural killer T cells. The disease creates an extreme vulnerability to Epstein Barr virus. In boys who inherit XLP, exposure to this common virus causes a severe and often fatal immune response. Bone marrow transplantation is presently used to treat XLP. However, transplants entail the risk of graft vs. host disease and potentially life-threatening infections. Dr. Tan's research looks at ways of replenishing NKT cells in affected boys in order to prevent disease.

This work will allow doctors to detect and treat disease at the cellular level—before damage is done—and may some day allow children with XLP and type 1 diabetes to live their lives with normally functioning immune systems.

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Last updated: 03/11/2010