About the Center
The state-of-the-art research facility, William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology specializes in the discovery of novel therapeutics and insights into the human immune system. It serves as a central research hub to enable investigation and discoveries that translate into high-impact biology and novel approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of multiple pediatric diseases.
The Center Director is Dr. Kristy Murray. She also serves as Vice-Chair for Research for the Department of Pediatrics and Professor of Pediatrics in the section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine as well as the Assistant Dean for Faculty and Academic Development for the National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Kristy Murray has extensive experience in epidemiology, surveillance, diagnostics, virology, immunology, global health, and neglected tropical diseases. In her role as Director of the William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, she oversees the research of 28 faculty members and 120 researchers and trainees.
The William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology was founded in 2012 by Dr. Jordan Orange, and since then has been functioning as a Translational Think Tank Center, focused on the human immune system and immune mediated diseases. Annually, the Center releases around 120 high-impact scientific publications, written by our 28 world-class faculty members (Ph.D.s, M.D.s, DOs, DVMs, MMScs) and research collaborators. Furthermore, since the foundation of the Center, 14 novel diseases have been discovered and characterized through the Immunogenetics pipeline.
The Center’s mission is to improve the quality of life and outcomes for patients with immune disorders through cutting-edge multidisciplinary research. Its major advantage is the essential synergy emerging from world-class multidisciplinary teams where immunobiology transcends diverse specialties, including immunology, allergy and retrovirology, rheumatology, endocrinology, global immigrant health, tropical medicine, hematology, oncology, infectious diseases and gastroenterology.
Core Values of the Center
William T. Shearer Center’s far-reaching impact.
The Center connects researchers throughout Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, TMC-area institutions and institutions across the world to generate high-impact research, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of our pediatric patients.
Intellectual growth.
The Center focuses on multidisciplinary collaboration among experts, which translates into better understanding, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of immune-related diseases.
Technology and Innovation.
The Center’s goal is to maintain research facilities fully equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and equipment to enable cutting-edge scientific advancement.
Large and Diverse Cell Repository.
The Center preserves an extensive biorepository of human cell populations, obtained from blood, immune-related tissues, and other organs. These cells come from healthy donors and from patients impacted by rare diseases. This repository works as a cell collection that facilitates cutting-edge research discoveries.
International Impact.
The Center creates synergy with other research hubs across the globe with existing emphasis in genetics/genomics, international medicine and cellular therapy to accelerate discovery and innovation.
Advancing the Future of Science.
The Center promotes an environment to train, mentor and develop the next generation of scientists, focused on improving the quality of life and outcomes for patients with immune disorders through cutting-edge research.