Amongst other projects, our lab works within 3 groups, funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID):
- The National Institutes of Health: the Inner-City Asthma Consortium (ICAC)
- The Immunophenotyping Assessment in a COVID-19 Cohort (IMPACC)
- The Immune Tolerance Network (ITN)
- the Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Centers
In studies with these collaborators, we use network analysis techniques such as cell-deconvolution and modular analysis to reduce the dimensionality of complex data, while simultaneously focusing on the salient elements of the immune response (Chaussabel, Baldwin 2014; Obermoster et al 2013; Li et al 2014). Collaborations like these help understand complex diseases while laying the groundwork for the discovery of new treatment approaches.
Genome transcriptional profiling and genome sequencing technologies are powerful approaches to identify novel biomarkers and mechanisms of immune mediated diseases. These technologies generate huge amounts of biological information and require sophisticated computational tools to understand molecular pathways of the immune system in health and disease.
Much of the lab's work focuses on molecular profiling of human respiratory samples collected during flares of disease, such as asthma exacerbations, respiratory infections, and allergic reactions. Furthermore, the group's work seeks to both develop and understand personalized approaches to the use of immune based therapeutics in these diseases.

Matt Altman, MD, MPhil
Lab Members

Basilin Benson

Naresh Doni Jayavelu

Tomasz Janczyk

Dr. Altman's Interview at AAAAI
Featured Publications
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Jan 2023
Associations between outdoor air pollutants and non-viral asthma exacerbations and airway inflammatory responses in children and adolescents living in urban areas in the USA: a retrospective secondary analysis.
Lancet Planet HealthAltman MC, Kattan M, O'Connor GT, Murphy RC, Whalen E, LeBeau P, Calatroni A, Gill MA, Gruchalla RS, Liu AH, Lovinsky-Desir S, Pongracic JA, Kercsmar CM, Khurana Hershey GK, Zoratti EM, Teach SJ, Bacharier LB, Wheatley LM, Sigelman SM, Gergen PJ, Togias A, Busse WW, Gern JE, Jackson DJ, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease's Inner City Asthma Consortium -
Aug 2022
Mepolizumab for urban children with exacerbation-prone eosinophilic asthma in the USA (MUPPITS-2): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial.
LancetJackson DJ, Bacharier LB, Gergen PJ, Gagalis L, Calatroni A, Wellford S, Gill MA, Stokes J, Liu AH, Gruchalla RS, Cohen RT, Makhija M, Khurana Hershey GK, O'Connor GT, Pongracic JA, Sherenian MG, Rivera-Spoljaric K, Zoratti EM, Teach SJ, Kattan M, Dutmer CM, Kim H, Lamm C, Sheehan WJ, Segnitz RM, Dill-McFarland KA, Visness CM, Becker PM, Gern JE, Sorkness CA, Busse WW, Altman MC, US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease's Inner City Asthma Consortium. -
Nov 2021
Endotype of allergic asthma with airway obstruction in urban children.
J Allergy Clin ImmunolAltman MC, Calatroni A, Ramratnam S, Jackson DJ, Presnell S, Rosasco MG, Gergen PJ, Bacharier LB, O'Connor GT, Sandel MT, Kattan M, Wood RA, Visness CM, Gern JE, Inner City Asthma Consortium. -
Jul 2021
Development of a fixed module repertoire for the analysis and interpretation of blood transcriptome data.
Nat CommunAltman MC, Rinchai D, Baldwin N, Toufiq M, Whalen E, Garand M, Syed Ahamed Kabeer B, Alfaki M, Presnell SR, Khaenam P, Ayllón-Benítez A, Mougin F, Thébault P, Chiche L, Jourde-Chiche N, Phillips JT, Klintmalm G, O'Garra A, Berry M, Bloom C, Wilkinson RJ, Graham CM, Lipman M, Lertmemongkolchai G, Bedognetti D, Thiebaut R, Kheradmand F, Mejias A, Ramilo O, Palucka K, Pascual V, Banchereau J, Chaussabel D -
May 2019
Transcriptome networks identify mechanisms of viral and nonviral asthma exacerbations in children.
Nat ImmunolAltman MC, Gill MA, Whalen E, Babineau DC, Shao B, Liu AH, Jepson B, Gruchalla RS, O'Connor GT, Pongracic JA, Kercsmar CM, Khurana Hershey GK, Zoratti EM, Johnson CC, Teach SJ, Kattan M, Bacharier LB, Beigelman A, Sigelman SM, Presnell S, Gern JE, Gergen PJ, Wheatley LM, Togias A, Busse WW, Jackson DJ

Big Data Reveals Surprising Defense Against COVID-19

Immunology to Change Lives: Where We're Going in 2023
BRI was formed with a clear plan: First, answer key fundamental questions about the immune system. Then, build on those answers to change lives. This is a very exciting time because we’re reaching that second stage of the plan.

$11.4 Million to Explore Link Between Viruses and Immune System Diseases
Understanding how viruses impact the immune system has long been a focus at BRI. Two years of pandemic life have made answering two questions particularly important: Can respiratory viruses like the common cold or COVID-19 start the chain reaction that leads to immune system disease?

NIH study links specific outdoor air pollutants to asthma attacks in urban children
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