The Allen Lab builds on its long-standing interest in T cell responses to HIV to explore novel approaches to engineering human immune cells to more effectively target and eliminate the HIV reservoir. We are also utilizing novel gene-editing approaches to block the transmission of HIV and curtail infection.
The Allen Lab focuses on translating recent successes in CRISPR gene editing and CAR T cell immunotherapies towards developing a functional cure for HIV. Our work leverages an innovative human stem cell–engrafted mouse model capable of supporting robust HIV infection and developing human immune responses to HIV. We are also using this model to decipher the host and viral factors influencing the mucosal transmission of HIV.
Dr. Allen is a recipient of the prestigious MGH Scholars Award. He has also been named as a Thomas Reuters Highly Cited Researcher in 2015 and 2016, ranking among the top 1% of researchers in Microbiology.
Dr. Todd Allen received his Ph.D. in Cellular & Molecular Biology from the University of Wisconsin before joining the Ragon Institute in 2001. He received his undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. He was promoted to Professor of Medicine in 2014. He is also an Associate Member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.
Garcia-Beltran WF, Claiborne DT, Maldini CR, Phelps M, Vrbanac V, Karpel ME, Krupp KL, Power KA, Boutwell CL, Balazs AB, Tager AM, Altfeld M, Allen TM.
Front Immunol. 2021 May 26;12:667393. Download PDF PubMed
Maldini CR, Claiborne DT, Okawa K, Chen T, Dopkin DL, Shan X, Power KA, Trifonova RT, Krupp K, Phelps M, Vrbanac VD, Tanno S, Bateson T, Leslie GJ, Hoxie JA, Boutwell CL, Riley JL, Allen TM.
Nat Med. 2020 Nov;26(11):1776-1787. Download PDF PubMed
Joshi VR, Newman RM, Pack ML, Power KA, Munro JB, Okawa K, Madani N, Sodroski JG, Schmidt AG, Allen TM.
PLoS Pathog. 2020 May 11;16(5):e1008577 Download PDF PubMed
Dudek TE, No DC, Seung E, Vrbanac VD, Fadda L, Bhoumik P, Boutwell CL, Power KA, Gladden AD, Battis L, Mellors EF, Tivey TR, Gao X, Altfeld M, Luster AD, Tager AM, Allen TM.
Sci Transl Med. 2012 Jul 18;4(143):143ra98. Download PDF PubMed
Henn MR, Boutwell CL, Charlebois P, Lennon NJ, Power KA, Macalalad AR, Berlin AM, Malboeuf CM, Ryan EM, Gnerre S, Zody MC, Erlich RL, Green LM, Berical A, Wang Y, Casali M, Streeck H, Bloom AK, Dudek T, Tully D, Newman R, Axten KL, Gladden AD, Battis L, Kemper M, Zeng Q, Shea TP, Gujja S, Zedlack C, Gasser O, Brander C, Hess C, Günthard HF, Brumme ZL, Brumme CJ, Bazner S, Rychert J, Tinsley JP, Mayer KH, Rosenberg E, Pereyra F, Levin JZ, Young SK, Jessen H, Altfeld M, Birren BW, Walker BD, Allen TM.
PLoS Pathog. 2012;8(3):e1002529. Download PDF PubMed
Timm J, Lauer GM, Kavanagh DG, Sheridan I, Kim AY, Lucas M, Pillay T, Ouchi K, Reyor LL, Schulze zur Wiesch J, Gandhi RT, Chung RT, Bhardwaj N, Klenerman P, Walker BD, Allen TM.
J Exp Med. 2004 Dec 20;200(12):1593-604. Download PDF PubMed
Altfeld M*, Allen TM*, Yu XG, Johnston MN, Agrawal D, Korber BT, Montefiori DC, O'Connor DH, Davis BT, Lee PK, Maier EL, Harlow J, Goulder PJ, Brander C, Rosenberg ES, Walker BD.
Nature. 2002 Nov 28;420(6914):434-9. Download PDF PubMed
O'Connor DH*, Allen TM*, Vogel TU, Jing P, DeSouza IP, Dodds E, Dunphy EJ, Melsaether C, Mothé B, Yamamoto H, Horton H, Wilson N, Hughes AL, Watkins DI.
Nat Med. 2002 May;8(5):493-9. Download PDF PubMed
Christian Boutwell
Senior Research Scientist
Wesley Hudson
Research Technician I
Swarali Kulkarni
Postdoctoral Fellow
Hsiaohsuan Kuo
Postdoctoral Fellow
Emily Marte
Veterinary Technologist
Karen Power
Senior Lab Manager
Noor Radde
Graduate Student
Tatum Sass
Graduate Student
Amanda Simkhovich
Research Technician I
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The Ragon’s faculty includes many of the world’s most creative scientists, engineers, and clinicians.
The Ragon’s research creates knowledge from our collaborative, cross-disciplinary approach, breaking down the silos of academia.