Tania Watts | |
---|---|
Alma mater | University of Alberta |
Known for | Adaptive Immunity Research |
Awards | Distinguished Fellow AAI 2022 Reynolds Award CSI 2018 |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Immunology |
Institutions | Stanford University University of Toronto |
Thesis | Structure and assembly of pili isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains PAK and PAO |
Doctoral advisor | William Paranchych |
Tania H. Watts (born 1957) is a Canadian Immunologist, Professor at the University of Toronto,[1] past President of the Canadian Society for Immunology and from 2009-2019 held the Sanofi Pasteur Chair in Human Immunology at the University of Toronto.[2] Tania Watts holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Anti-viral Immunity (2021- ) and was named a Distinguished Fellow of the American Association of Immunologists, class of 2022.
Watts studied at the University of Alberta where she obtained her Bachelor and PhD degrees in Biochemistry.[3] Her graduate supervisor was William Paranchych.[2] She was supported during her graduate work by an MRC Studentship.[4]
Watts' graduate research examined the structure and assembly of pili from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Her post-doctoral work at Stanford University with Professor Harden McConnell demonstrated the immunological effect of antigen presentation in lipid bilayers and led to her interest in T cells and immunity.[2]
Watts is Professor of Immunology at the University of Toronto.[1] Her group was among the first to provide evidence for CD28-independent co-stimulation.[5] Watts holds the Sanofi Pasteur Chair in Human Immunology at the University of Toronto.[2][6] She is director of the Faculty of Medicine Flow Cytometry facility.[7]
Watts is an active organizer in the Immunology community. She is a founder the Toronto Human Immunology Network, past President (2009-2011) of the Canadian Society for Immunology, and has organized international symposia.[3][2]
Watts was a member of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table until its dissolution in September 2022.[8]
Watts used biophysical techniques to study the properties of pili isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO and PAK for her doctoral work.[4][9]
Watts' post-doctoral research encompassed biochemical methods and the microscopy techniques TIRF (Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence) and FRET (Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer). Her work showed that CD4+ T cells could be activated to secrete Interleukin 2 by a lipid bilayer containing MHC II and peptide antigens, and that MHC II, peptide antigens and T-cell Receptor form a ternary complex.[10][11]
Watts' laboratory at the University of Toronto continues her immunology research, with a focus on T cells, adaptive immunity and infectious diseases.[1] Her group examines how different TNF Receptor family members (TNFR) contribute to survival of lymphocytes to control viral infections.[12] Her studies also demonstrate how TNFR activation contributes to inflammation and cancer.[6]
Watts has applied her expertise in immunology to study the persistence of immunity to SARS-CoV-2[13] and the effectiveness of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in individuals affected by immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.[14]