William Kwok, PhD
Background Information
Dr. Kwok received his bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin. After completing his PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Washington in 1983, he remained in Seattle completing post-doctoral research work at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center before moving to the Virginia Mason Research Center (later renamed the Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason). Since 1988, he has been a principle investigator at the Benaroya Research Institute.
Area of Research
Dr. Kwok's research projects are focused on understanding the behavior of human “helper” T cells. These cells are difficult to detect and isolate using traditional methods, but can be studied effectively using tetramers: synthetic protein conjugates that can be used to directly label T cells. These novel tetramer reagents provide a new approach for studying healthy immune responses directed against viruses and other pathogens and harmful immune responses that are the underlying cause of autoimmune diseases and allergy. Detailed studies using tetramers have increased our understanding of the biochemical patterns that activate the immune system. Knowledge of this kind will be critical for developing improved vaccines and targeted therapies to combat infectious diseases, allergy and autoimmunity.
Featured Publications
Selected Publications of Dr. Kwok’s from the last three years
Michels AW, Landry LG, McDaniel KA, Yu L, Campbell-Thompson M, Kwok WW, Jones KL, Gottlieb PA, Kappler JW, Tang Q, Roep BO, Atkinson MA, Mathews CE, Nakayama M. Islet-derived CD4 T-cells targeting proinsulin in human autoimmune diabetes. Diabetes. 2016 Dec 5. pii: db161025. PMID: 27920090
Muehling LM, Mai DT, Kwok WW, Heymann PW, Pomés A, Woodfolk JA. Circulating Memory CD4+ T Cells Target Conserved Epitopes of Rhinovirus Capsid Proteins and Respond Rapidly to Experimental Infection in Humans. J Immunol. 2016 Oct 15;197(8):3214-3224. PMID: 27591323
Cho JL, Ling MF, Adams DC, Faustino L, Islam SA, Afshar R, Griffith JW, Harris RS, Ng A, Radicioni G, Ford AA, Han AK, Xavier R, Kwok WW, Boucher R, Moon JJ, Hamilos DL, Kesimer M, Suter MJ, Medoff BD, Luster AD. Allergic asthma is distinguished by sensitivity of allergen-specific CD4+ T cells and airway structural cells to type 2 inflammation. Sci Transl Med. 2016 Oct 5;8(359):359ra132. PMID: 27708065
Scholz E, Mestre-Ferrer A, Daura X, García-Medel N, Carrascal M, James EA, Kwok WW, Canals F, Álvarez I. A Comparative Analysis of the Peptide Repertoires of HLA-DR Molecules Differentially Associated With Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016 Oct;68(10):2412-21. doi: 10.1002/art.39736. PubMed PMID: 27158783.
Uchtenhagen H, Rims C, Blahnik G, Chow IT, Kwok WW, Buckner JH, James EA. Efficient ex vivo analysis of CD4+ T-cell responses using combinatorial HLA class II tetramer staining. Nat Commun. 2016 Aug 30;7:12614. doi: 10.1038/ncomms12614. PMID: 27571776
Archila LD, Chow IT, McGinty JW, Renand A, Jeong D, Robinson D, Farrington ML, Kwok WW. Ana o 1 and Ana o 2 cashew allergens share cross-reactive CD4(+) T cell epitopes with other tree nuts. Clin Exp Allergy. 2016 Jun;46(6):871-83. doi: 10.1111/cea.12746. PMID: 27129138
Renand A, Robinson D, Kwok WW. Reply. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016 May;137(5):1622-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.11.046. PMID: 26971693.
James EA, Gates TJ, LaFond RE, Yamamoto S, Ni C, Mai D, Gersuk VH, O'Brien K, Nguyen QA, Zeitner B, Lanteri MC, Norris PJ, Chaussabel D, Malhotra U, Kwok WW. Neuroinvasive West Nile Infection Elicits Elevated and Atypically Polarized T Cell Responses That Promote a Pathogenic Outcome. PLoS Pathog. 2016 Jan 21;12(1):e1005375. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005375. eCollection 2016. PMID: 26795118
Renand A, Archila LD, McGinty J, Wambre E, Robinson D, Hales BJ, Thomas WR, Kwok WW. Chronic cat allergen exposure induces a T2 cell-dependent IgG response related to low sensitization. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015 Dec;136(6):1627-35.e1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.07.031. PMID: 26371841
Kwok WW. Modulation of Peanut-specific humoral and cellular responses pre- and post-oral immunotherapy. Clin Exp Allergy. 2015 Jul;45(7):1146-9. doi: 10.1111/cea.12552. PMID: 26082305
Cao Y, Goods BA, Raddassi K, Nepom GT, Kwok WW, Love JC, Hafler DA. Functional inflammatory profiles distinguish myelin-reactive T cells from patients with multiple sclerosis. Sci Transl Med. 2015 May 13;7(287):287ra74. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaa8038. PMID: 25972006
Archila LD, Jeong D, Pascal M, Bartra J, Juan M, Robinson D, Farrington ML, Kwok WW. Jug r 2-reactive CD4+ T cells have a dominant immune role in walnut allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015 Oct;136(4):983-92.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.01.029. PMID: 25772597
Chow IT, Yang J, Gates TJ, James EA, Mai DT, Greenbaum C, Kwok WW. Assessment of CD4+ T Cell Responses to Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase 65 Using DQ8 Tetramers Reveals a Pathogenic Role of GAD65 121-140 and GAD65 250-266 in T1D Development. PLoS One. 2014 Nov 18;9(11):e112882. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112882. eCollection 2014. PMID: 25405480
Wesa AK, Mandic M, Taylor JL, Moschos S, Kirkwood JM, Kwok WW, Finke JH, Storkus WJ. Circulating Type-1 Anti-Tumor CD4(+) T Cells are Preferentially Pro-Apoptotic in Cancer Patients. Front Oncol. 2014 Sep 29;4:266. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2014.00266. eCollection 2014. PMID: 25325015
Yang J, Chow IT, Sosinowski T, Torres-Chinn N, Greenbaum CJ, James EA, Kappler JW, Davidson HW, Kwok WW. Autoreactive T cells specific for insulin B:11-23 recognize a low-affinity peptide register in human subjects with autoimmune diabetes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Oct 14;111(41):14840-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1416864111. PMID: 25267644
Renand A, Newbrough S, Wambre E, DeLong JH, Robinson D, Kwok WW. Arginine kinase Pen m 2 as an important shrimp allergen recognized by TH2 cells. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2014 Dec;134(6):1456-1459.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2014.07.048. PMID: 25224098
Archila LD, DeLong JH, Wambre E, James EA, Robinson DM, Kwok WW. Grass-specific CD4(+) T-cells exhibit varying degrees of cross-reactivity, implications for allergen-specific immunotherapy. Clin Exp Allergy. 2014 Jul;44(7):986-98. doi: 10.1111/cea.12324. PMID: 24708411
McGinty JW, Chow IT, Greenbaum C, Odegard J, Kwok WW, James EA. Recognition of posttranslationally modified GAD65 epitopes in subjects with type 1 diabetes. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2014 Mar;133(3):872-9.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.10.054. PMID: 24373351
Wambre E, DeLong JH, James EA, Torres-Chinn N, Pfützner W, Möbs C, Durham SR, Till SJ, Robinson D, Kwok WW. Specific immunotherapy modifies allergen-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses in an epitope-dependent manner. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2014 Mar;133(3):872-9.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.10.054. PMID: 24373351
