Joseph P. Mizgerd, ScD

Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Our work focuses on immunology in the lung and its influence on acute lower respiratory tract infections. Our research is illuminating the regulation and function of innate and adaptive immune cells and signals in the lung, and how variations in these parameters determine pneumonia susceptibility and outcome. Lung defense consists of immune resistance (the ability to eliminate microbes) and tissue resilience (the ability to prevent or withstand injurious stimuli from infection and inflammation). Both activities are accomplished by the coordinated activities of diverse cell types within the lung, involving some that are constitutively present (including diverse types of epithelial cells, macrophages, lymphocytes, and more) as well as others newly recruited to the infected tissue (including neutrophils plus additional myeloid or lymphoid cells). Effective and productive communication amongst these cells can efficiently destroy microbes without damaging the lung, maintaining respiratory health. Dysregulation of these pathways instead promotes infection (e.g., pneumonia), injury (e.g., the acute respiratory distress syndrome), and other pulmonary diseases. Elucidating factors that differentiate lung infection resistance and susceptibility will enable new approaches to preventing and treating pneumonia.

Publications

  • Published 4/28/2026

    Shastry A, Hiller BE, Sanders NL, Tseng AE, Kothari J, O'connell AK, Gertje HP, Ha CT, Murzin E, Traber KE, Lederer JA, Jones MR, Douam F, Beach TG, Remick DG, Crossland NA, Monti S, Campbell JD, Mizgerd JP. Sub-phenotypes of pneumonia defined by pulmonary histopathological features. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2026 Apr 28. PMID: 42089675.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 3/25/2026

    Mizgerd JP. Host-Pathogen Interactions Leading to Pneumonia Pathogenesis. Clin Chest Med. 2026 Jun; 47(2):215-224. PMID: 42203414.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 3/23/2026

    Hayes KM, Boldt K, Schnorr PJ, Bawa P, Abyazi ML, Ware MS, Gyimesi G, James M, Ko HM, Cunningham-Rundles C, Mizgerd JP, Mostoslavsky G, Kotton DN, Maglione PJ. Heterozygous NFKB1 variant causes inflammatory dysregulation shaped by broader genetic context in common variable immunodeficiency. JCI Insight. 2026 Mar 23; 11(6). PMID: 41869721.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 1/16/2026

    Armstrong EM, Mizgerd JP. Helping alveolar macrophages live to fight another day during viral pneumonia. J Clin Invest. 2026 Jan 16; 136(2). PMID: 41542776.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 11/26/2025

    Arnold CG, McCartney MM, Davis CE, Mizgerd JP, Kenyon NJ. Harnessing breath biomarkers for pneumonia diagnosis and prognosis. Expert Rev Respir Med. 2026 May; 20(5):491-500. PMID: 41284337.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 163 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Other Positions

  • Director, Pulmonary Center
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Professor, Biochemistry & Cell Biology
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Professor, Virology, Immunology & Microbiology
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research
    Boston University
  • Member, Genome Science Institute
    Boston University
  • Graduate Medical Sciences Educator and Mentor (Primary Mentor of Graduate Students)
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences

Websites

Education

  • Harvard School of Public Health, ScD
  • Amherst College, BA

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