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Dr James Pearson
(he/him)
Research Fellow
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
I have been conducting research in the immunology of type 1 diabetes (T1D) since 2011. My research focuses on understanding how immune cells can be modified to reduce susceptibility to T1D with the aim of developing novel areas of research that can be translated for preventative T1D therapies.
Publication
2024
- Wang, P. et al. 2024. Tlr9 deficiency in B cells leads to obesity by promoting inflammation and gut dysbiosis. Nature Communications 15(1), article number: 4232. (10.1038/s41467-024-48611-8)
- Pearson, J. A., Hu, Y., Peng, J., Wong, F. S. and Wen, L. 2024. TLR5-deficiency controls dendritic cell subset development in an autoimmune diabetes-susceptible model. Frontiers in Immunology 15, article number: 1333967. (10.3389/fimmu.2024.1333967)
2023
- Pearson, J. A. et al. 2023. NLRP6 deficiency expands a novel CD103 + B cell population that confers immune tolerance in NOD mice. Frontiers in Immunology 14, article number: 1147925. (10.3389/fimmu.2023.1147925)
2022
- Boldison, J. et al. 2022. Gene expression profiling in NOD mice reveals that B cells are highly educated by the pancreatic environment during autoimmune diabetes. Diabetologia 66(3), pp. 551-566. (10.1007/s00125-022-05839-7)
- Pearson, J. A. et al. 2022. IgM-associated gut bacteria in obesity and type 2 diabetes in C57BL/6 mice and humans. Diabetologia 65(8), pp. 1398-1411. (10.1007/s00125-022-05711-8)
- Chan, K., Wong, F. S. and Pearson, J. A. 2022. Circadian rhythms and pancreas physiology: A review. Frontiers in Endocrinology 13, article number: 920261. (10.3389/fendo.2022.920261)
- Huang, J., Pearson, J. A., Wong, F. S., Wen, L. and Zhou, Z. 2022. Innate immunity in latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews 38(1), article number: e3480. (10.1002/dmrr.3480)
- Pearson, J. A., McKinney, E. F. and Walker, L. S. K. 2022. 100 years post-insulin: immunotherapy as the next frontier in type 1 diabetes. Immunotherapy Advances (10.1093/immadv/ltab024)
2021
- Pearson, J. A., Voisey, A. C., Boest Bjerg, K., Wong, F. S. and Wen, L. 2021. Circadian rhythm modulation of microbes during health and infection. Frontiers in Microbiology 12, article number: 721004. (10.3389/fmicb.2021.721004)
- Huang, J. et al. 2021. IL-10 deficiency accelerates type 1 diabetes development via modulation of innate and adaptive immune cells and gut microbiota in BDC2.5 NOD mice. Frontiers in Immunology 12, article number: 702955. (10.3389/fimmu.2021.702955)
- Pearson, J. A., Wong, F. S. and Wen, L. 2021. Inflammasomes and type 1 diabetes. Frontiers in Immunology 12, article number: 686956. (10.3389/fimmu.2021.686956)
- Thayer, T. C., Davies, J., Pearson, J. A., Hanna, S. J., Wen, L. and Wong, F. S. 2021. Differentiating MHC-dependent and -independent mechanisms of lymph node stromal cell regulation of Proinsulin-specific CD8+ T-Cells in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes 70(2), pp. 529-537., article number: db191050. (10.2337/db19-1050)
- Huang, J. et al. 2021. Toll-like receptor 7 deficiency suppresses type 1 diabetes development by modulating B-cell differentiation and function. Cellular and Molecular Immunology 18, pp. 328-338. (10.1038/s41423-020-00590-8)
- Sha, S. et al. 2021. TLR9-deficiency in B cells promotes immune tolerance via IL-10 in a type 1 diabetes mouse model. Diabetes 70(2), pp. 504-515. (10.2337/db20-0373)
2020
- Pearson, J. A., Wong, F. S. and Wen, L. 2020. Crosstalk between circadian rhythms and the microbiota. Immunology 161(4), pp. 278-290. (10.1111/imm.13278)
- Pearson, J. A. et al. 2020. Insulin-reactive T cells convert diabetogenic insulin-reactive VH125 B cells into tolerogenic cells by reducing germinal center T:B cell Interactions in NOD mice. Frontiers in Immunology 11, article number: 585886. (10.3389/fimmu.2020.585886)
- Huang, J. et al. 2020. Gut microbial metabolites alter IgA immunity in type 1 diabetes. JCI Insight 5(10), article number: e135718. (10.1172/jci.insight.135718)
2019
- Pearson, J. A. et al. 2019. Norovirus changes susceptibility to type 1 diabetes by altering intestinal microbiota and immune cell functions. Frontiers in Immunology 10, article number: 2654. (10.3389/fimmu.2019.02654)
- Pearson, J. A. et al. 2019. Altered gut microbiota activate and expand insulin B15-23-Reactive CD8+ T-Cells. Diabetes 68(5), pp. 1002-1013. (10.2337/db18-0487)
2018
- Liu, M. et al. 2018. Toll-like receptor 9 negatively regulates pancreatic islet beta cell growth and function in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia 61(11), pp. 2333-2343. (10.1007/s00125-018-4705-0)
- Gülden, E. et al. 2018. TRIF deficiency protects non-obese diabetic mice from type 1 diabetes by modulating the gut microbiota and dendritic cells. Journal of Autoimmunity 93, pp. 57-65. (10.1016/j.jaut.2018.06.003)
- Majewska-Szczepanik, M. et al. 2018. Cyclophosphamide-modified murine peritoneal macrophages induce CD4+ T contrasuppressor cells that protect contact sensitivity T effector cells from suppression. Pharmacological Reports 70(4), pp. 796-803. (10.1016/j.pharep.2018.02.015)
- Tan, Q. et al. 2018. Activation-induced cytidine deaminase deficiency accelerates autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice. JCI Insight 3(1), article number: 95882. (10.1172/jci.insight.95882)
2017
- Li, Y. Y. et al. 2017. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (Nod2) modulates T1DM susceptibility by gut microbiota. Journal of Autoimmunity 82, pp. 85-95. (10.1016/j.jaut.2017.05.007)
2016
- Thayer, T. C. et al. 2016. Peripheral proinsulin expression controls low-avidity proinsulin-reactive CD8 T Cells in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes 65(11), pp. 3429-3439. (10.2337/db15-1649)
- Clement, M. et al. 2016. Targeted suppression of autoreactive CD8+ T-cell activation using blocking anti-CD8 antibodies. Scientific Reports 6, article number: 35332. (10.1038/srep35332)
- Pearson, J. A. et al. 2016. Proinsulin expression shapes the TCR repertoire but fails to control the development of low-avidity insulin-reactive CD8+ T cells. Diabetes 65(6), pp. 1679-1689. (10.2337/db15-1498)
- Pearson, J. A., Wong, F. S. and Wen, L. 2016. The importance of the Non Obese Diabetic (NOD) mouse model in autoimmune diabetes. Journal of Autoimmunity 66, pp. 76-88. (10.1016/j.jaut.2015.08.019)
2015
- Pearson, J. A. and Wong, F. S. 2015. Identification of islet antigen-specific CD8 T cells using MHCI-peptide tetramer reagents in the non obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of type 1 diabetes. In: Gillespie, K. M. ed. Type-1 Diabetes., Vol. 1433. Methods in Molecular Biology Springer, pp. 119-125., (10.1007/7651_2015_295)
- Ye, J., Long, A. E., Pearson, J. A., Taylor, H., Bingley, P. J., Williams, A. J. K. and Gillespie, K. M. 2015. Attenuated humoral responses in HLA-A*24-positive individuals at risk of type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia 58(10), pp. 2284-2287. (10.1007/s00125-015-3702-9)
- Hu, C. et al. 2015. NLRP3 deficiency protects from type 1 diabetes through the regulation of chemotaxis into the pancreatic islets. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112(36), pp. 11318-11323. (10.1073/pnas.1513509112)
- Motozono, C. et al. 2015. Distortion of the major histocompatibility complex class I binding groove to accommodate an insulin-derived 10-Mer peptide. Journal of Biological Chemistry 290(31), pp. 18924-18933. (10.1074/jbc.M114.622522)
2014
- Pearson, J. 2014. Analysis of the repertoire of insulin-reactive CD8+ T cells. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
Adrannau llyfrau
- Pearson, J. A. and Wong, F. S. 2015. Identification of islet antigen-specific CD8 T cells using MHCI-peptide tetramer reagents in the non obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of type 1 diabetes. In: Gillespie, K. M. ed. Type-1 Diabetes., Vol. 1433. Methods in Molecular Biology Springer, pp. 119-125., (10.1007/7651_2015_295)
Erthyglau
- Wang, P. et al. 2024. Tlr9 deficiency in B cells leads to obesity by promoting inflammation and gut dysbiosis. Nature Communications 15(1), article number: 4232. (10.1038/s41467-024-48611-8)
- Pearson, J. A., Hu, Y., Peng, J., Wong, F. S. and Wen, L. 2024. TLR5-deficiency controls dendritic cell subset development in an autoimmune diabetes-susceptible model. Frontiers in Immunology 15, article number: 1333967. (10.3389/fimmu.2024.1333967)
- Pearson, J. A. et al. 2023. NLRP6 deficiency expands a novel CD103 + B cell population that confers immune tolerance in NOD mice. Frontiers in Immunology 14, article number: 1147925. (10.3389/fimmu.2023.1147925)
- Boldison, J. et al. 2022. Gene expression profiling in NOD mice reveals that B cells are highly educated by the pancreatic environment during autoimmune diabetes. Diabetologia 66(3), pp. 551-566. (10.1007/s00125-022-05839-7)
- Pearson, J. A. et al. 2022. IgM-associated gut bacteria in obesity and type 2 diabetes in C57BL/6 mice and humans. Diabetologia 65(8), pp. 1398-1411. (10.1007/s00125-022-05711-8)
- Chan, K., Wong, F. S. and Pearson, J. A. 2022. Circadian rhythms and pancreas physiology: A review. Frontiers in Endocrinology 13, article number: 920261. (10.3389/fendo.2022.920261)
- Huang, J., Pearson, J. A., Wong, F. S., Wen, L. and Zhou, Z. 2022. Innate immunity in latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews 38(1), article number: e3480. (10.1002/dmrr.3480)
- Pearson, J. A., McKinney, E. F. and Walker, L. S. K. 2022. 100 years post-insulin: immunotherapy as the next frontier in type 1 diabetes. Immunotherapy Advances (10.1093/immadv/ltab024)
- Pearson, J. A., Voisey, A. C., Boest Bjerg, K., Wong, F. S. and Wen, L. 2021. Circadian rhythm modulation of microbes during health and infection. Frontiers in Microbiology 12, article number: 721004. (10.3389/fmicb.2021.721004)
- Huang, J. et al. 2021. IL-10 deficiency accelerates type 1 diabetes development via modulation of innate and adaptive immune cells and gut microbiota in BDC2.5 NOD mice. Frontiers in Immunology 12, article number: 702955. (10.3389/fimmu.2021.702955)
- Pearson, J. A., Wong, F. S. and Wen, L. 2021. Inflammasomes and type 1 diabetes. Frontiers in Immunology 12, article number: 686956. (10.3389/fimmu.2021.686956)
- Thayer, T. C., Davies, J., Pearson, J. A., Hanna, S. J., Wen, L. and Wong, F. S. 2021. Differentiating MHC-dependent and -independent mechanisms of lymph node stromal cell regulation of Proinsulin-specific CD8+ T-Cells in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes 70(2), pp. 529-537., article number: db191050. (10.2337/db19-1050)
- Huang, J. et al. 2021. Toll-like receptor 7 deficiency suppresses type 1 diabetes development by modulating B-cell differentiation and function. Cellular and Molecular Immunology 18, pp. 328-338. (10.1038/s41423-020-00590-8)
- Sha, S. et al. 2021. TLR9-deficiency in B cells promotes immune tolerance via IL-10 in a type 1 diabetes mouse model. Diabetes 70(2), pp. 504-515. (10.2337/db20-0373)
- Pearson, J. A., Wong, F. S. and Wen, L. 2020. Crosstalk between circadian rhythms and the microbiota. Immunology 161(4), pp. 278-290. (10.1111/imm.13278)
- Pearson, J. A. et al. 2020. Insulin-reactive T cells convert diabetogenic insulin-reactive VH125 B cells into tolerogenic cells by reducing germinal center T:B cell Interactions in NOD mice. Frontiers in Immunology 11, article number: 585886. (10.3389/fimmu.2020.585886)
- Huang, J. et al. 2020. Gut microbial metabolites alter IgA immunity in type 1 diabetes. JCI Insight 5(10), article number: e135718. (10.1172/jci.insight.135718)
- Pearson, J. A. et al. 2019. Norovirus changes susceptibility to type 1 diabetes by altering intestinal microbiota and immune cell functions. Frontiers in Immunology 10, article number: 2654. (10.3389/fimmu.2019.02654)
- Pearson, J. A. et al. 2019. Altered gut microbiota activate and expand insulin B15-23-Reactive CD8+ T-Cells. Diabetes 68(5), pp. 1002-1013. (10.2337/db18-0487)
- Liu, M. et al. 2018. Toll-like receptor 9 negatively regulates pancreatic islet beta cell growth and function in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia 61(11), pp. 2333-2343. (10.1007/s00125-018-4705-0)
- Gülden, E. et al. 2018. TRIF deficiency protects non-obese diabetic mice from type 1 diabetes by modulating the gut microbiota and dendritic cells. Journal of Autoimmunity 93, pp. 57-65. (10.1016/j.jaut.2018.06.003)
- Majewska-Szczepanik, M. et al. 2018. Cyclophosphamide-modified murine peritoneal macrophages induce CD4+ T contrasuppressor cells that protect contact sensitivity T effector cells from suppression. Pharmacological Reports 70(4), pp. 796-803. (10.1016/j.pharep.2018.02.015)
- Tan, Q. et al. 2018. Activation-induced cytidine deaminase deficiency accelerates autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice. JCI Insight 3(1), article number: 95882. (10.1172/jci.insight.95882)
- Li, Y. Y. et al. 2017. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (Nod2) modulates T1DM susceptibility by gut microbiota. Journal of Autoimmunity 82, pp. 85-95. (10.1016/j.jaut.2017.05.007)
- Thayer, T. C. et al. 2016. Peripheral proinsulin expression controls low-avidity proinsulin-reactive CD8 T Cells in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes 65(11), pp. 3429-3439. (10.2337/db15-1649)
- Clement, M. et al. 2016. Targeted suppression of autoreactive CD8+ T-cell activation using blocking anti-CD8 antibodies. Scientific Reports 6, article number: 35332. (10.1038/srep35332)
- Pearson, J. A. et al. 2016. Proinsulin expression shapes the TCR repertoire but fails to control the development of low-avidity insulin-reactive CD8+ T cells. Diabetes 65(6), pp. 1679-1689. (10.2337/db15-1498)
- Pearson, J. A., Wong, F. S. and Wen, L. 2016. The importance of the Non Obese Diabetic (NOD) mouse model in autoimmune diabetes. Journal of Autoimmunity 66, pp. 76-88. (10.1016/j.jaut.2015.08.019)
- Ye, J., Long, A. E., Pearson, J. A., Taylor, H., Bingley, P. J., Williams, A. J. K. and Gillespie, K. M. 2015. Attenuated humoral responses in HLA-A*24-positive individuals at risk of type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia 58(10), pp. 2284-2287. (10.1007/s00125-015-3702-9)
- Hu, C. et al. 2015. NLRP3 deficiency protects from type 1 diabetes through the regulation of chemotaxis into the pancreatic islets. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112(36), pp. 11318-11323. (10.1073/pnas.1513509112)
- Motozono, C. et al. 2015. Distortion of the major histocompatibility complex class I binding groove to accommodate an insulin-derived 10-Mer peptide. Journal of Biological Chemistry 290(31), pp. 18924-18933. (10.1074/jbc.M114.622522)
Gosodiad
- Pearson, J. 2014. Analysis of the repertoire of insulin-reactive CD8+ T cells. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
Research
My research can be divided into three main areas of investigation:
- Understanding how antigen expression, co-receptors and microbiota can modulate insulin-reactive CD8 T cell functions to identify potential opportunities for development of preventative therapies.
- Understanding innate cellular responses, and interactions with the microbiome, and how that influences susceptibility to T1D.
- Understanding the role of circadian rhythms and how they influence interactions between the microbiome and the innate and adaptive immune cells in mediating susceptibility to T1D.
Current Lab Funding:
As PI:
MRC Career Development Award (Feb 2020 – Oct 2025): Can microbiota modulate circadian oscillations to alter susceptibility to autoimmunity?
SMF/JDRF UK Grant (Jan 2024 - Jan 2026): Improving Treg immunotherapy success by administering therapy at different times of day.
As Co-I:
JDRF (Oct 2024 - Sept 2027): The L selectin pathway in type 1 diabetes
JDRF (Jan 2025 - Dec 2027): Targeting the islet resident immune population to prevent T1D
Funding History:
Western Michigan University Pilor Research Project (Apr 2022 - Jan 2023): Circadian Rhythmicity of Autoantibodies in Type 1 diabetes
JDRF UK Small Grant (Aug 2021 - Jul 2022): Do time-of-day-dependent changes in regulatory T cells alter their ability to suppress the development of Type 1 diabetes?
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2016 – 2019)
Fulbright-Diabetes UK Postdoctoral Research Scholarship (2015 – 2016)
Teaching
Co-module lead and lecturer on MSc. Applied and Experimental Clinical Immunology
Biography
Feb 2020 - Present: MRC Career Development Award Research Fellow, Division of Infection & Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
Honours and awards
- 2020 - Co-chair, Gut microbiota in Type 1 diabetes, Immunology of Diabetes Society
- 2020 - High-scoring abstract, Immunology of Diabetes Society
- 2018 - Travel Award, Immunology of Diabetes Society
- 2018 - Travel Award, British Society for Immunology
- 2018 - Young Investigator Travel Award, BioLegend
- 2017 - Travel Award, Immunology of Diabetes Society
- 2014 - Travel Award, BioLegend
- 2014 - Travel Award, British Society for Immunology
- 2014 - Secretary for Vale of Glamorgan Volunteer Group, Diabetes Cymru UK
- 2013 - Raising Awareness Award, Diabetes UK Cymru
- 2013 - Travel Award, British Society for Immunology
- 2013 - 2nd Prize Oral Presentation Award, Postgraduate Research Day, School of Medicine, Cardiff University
- 2013 - Secretary for Vale of Glamorgan Volunteer Group, Diabetes Cymru UK
- 2012 - Secretary for Vale of Glamorgan Volunteer Group, Diabetes Cymru UK
- 2010 - Bristol Plus Award, University of Bristol
- 2009 - Summer Studentship, Society for General Microbiology
- 2008 - Faculty Commendation, University of Bristol
- 2007 - Faculty Commendation, University of Bristol
Professional memberships
- 2021 - Present - Member, British Society for Immunology Autoimmunity Affinity Group
- 2020 - Present - Member, Microbiology Society
- 2020 - Present - Member, College of Experts, Cardiff University
- 2017 - Present - Member, Immunology of Diabetes Society
- 2016 - Present - Member, JDRF Microbiota Consortium
- 2015 - Present - Member, JDRF
- 2011 - Present - Member, British Society for Immunology
- 2011 - Present - Member, Diabetes UK
Academic positions
- 2020 - Present: Research Fellow, Cardiff University, UK
- 2016 - 2019: JDRF Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Endocrinology, Yale University, USA
- 2015 - 2016: Fulbright-Diabetes UK Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Endocrinology, Yale University, USA
Committees and reviewing
Journal reviewer, Nature Rev Endocrinology
Journal reviewer, Frontiers in Immunology
Supervisions
- Immunology
