Lydia Lynch

Position
Professor of Molecular Biology and Ludwig Princeton Branch
Office Phone
Office
Thomas Laboratory, 148
Bio/Description

Focus

Whole-body metabolism

Research

The Lynch Lab studies immunometabolism: how the immune and metabolic systems interact. Our research focuses on the role of innate immune cells in regulating systemic metabolism, and coming full circle to the effects of altered metabolism on immune cell function. Thus, we study immunometabolism at both the organismal and cell-intrinsic level, which is at an exciting time of convergence. We use obesity and diabetes as well as the tumor microenvironment as models to show how the nutrient supply or diet can influence immune cell functions through altering their cellular metabolism. We use state of the art techniques including imaging comprehensive whole body analysis to study immunometabolic interactions in vivo.

Biography

Lydia Lynch is a Professor of Molecular Biology and Ludwig Princeton Branch. Lydia received a Newman Fellowship for her early post-doctoral studies with Prof. Donal O’Shea in St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin. Here they established the Immunology and Obesity Lab, which coordinates international, collaborative, translational research in obesity and its complications. Lydia then received the prestigious UNESCO-L’Oreal International Women In Science Fellowship, where she moved to Harvard Medical School to study iNKT cells in adipose tissue in the lab of Mark Exley. In 2009, Lydia received an International Marie Curie Fellowship to continue her postdoctoral studies in immunometabolism, in the labs of Prof. Michael Brenner and Prof. Ulrich von Andrian in Harvard. In 2013, she became a junior faculty member at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. In 2014, Lydia started her independent lab with a joint appointment between the Division of Endocrinology and the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Lydia’s lab is interested in the effects of obesity and diet on immune cell functions, particularly innate cells including iNKT cells, NK cells and T cells. The Lynch lab also studies the role of the immune system in the regulation of metabolism and body weight, particularly the local immune system in adipose tissue in mice and humans.

Education

  • 2002 B.Sc (First Class Honors, First Place), Cell Biology and Genetics, University College Dublin.
  • 2008 PhD, Immunology, Lab of Prof. Cliona O’ Farrelly, University College Dublin.

Honors & Awards

 

2023

  • George L. Blackburn Lecture, Harvard Medical School

 

2022

  • The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research Emerging Leader Award
  • Brigham IGNITE Award for Innovation Acceleration
  • John R. Kettman – Luminex Award for Excellence in Cytokine Research

 

2021

  • Melville Hare Memorial Lecture, University of Rochester

 

2020

  • Department of Medicine Mentoring Award, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

 

2018

  • Journal of Lipid Research Junior Investigator Award
  • Best Presentation, Annual Obesity Incubator Seminar, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

 

2017

  • WXN Influential women - 2017 Trailblazer Award

 

2016

  • Irish Tatler Magazine ‘Woman of the Year’ for STEM
  • Royal Irish Academy ‘Women on Walls’ commissioned portrait
  • Named one of 25 Irish leaders in the Sci-Tech world (Sci-Tech 100 Publication)