Juliana Idoyaga, PHD

Juliana Idoyaga is a Chancellor’s Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular Biology at the University of California San Diego. Her laboratory is driven by a central question: how do dendritic cells (DCs) shape adaptive immune responses? She trained for more than eight years with Nobel Laureate Dr. Ralph Steinman and has spent over two decades defining the principles that govern DC identity and function within the broader mononuclear phagocyte system. Her group integrates in vivo approaches, high-resolution -omics, and comparative analyses of human and mouse DCs to elucidate the mechanisms that guide DC development, adaptation, and function across diverse contexts. Among her group’s recent contributions is the identification of a conserved “transitional” DC (tDC) subset that senses viral infection and produces high levels of IL-1β, revealing a previously unrecognized DC pathway that bridges innate and adaptive immunity. Her research aims to propel the next generation of DC-based interventions for infection, cancer, and autoimmunity.