Professor Dr. Robert Winchester

Biography

Dr. Robert J Winchester is a distinguished professor in the fields of Medicine, Pathology & Cell Biology, and Pediatrics. His research focuses on human autoimmunity, particularly the molecular implications of rheumatoid factors and autoantibodies in human diseases. His significant work includes early identification of tissue expression of human MHC class II molecules. In the late 1980s, he and his colleagues demonstrated that susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis is determined by sequences in the beta chain of MHC class II molecules, leading to the shared MHC 'epitope' hypothesis that explains the molecular basis of autoimmune susceptibility linked to MHC genotypes. His seminal discoveries have emphasized modern techniques in HLA typing through DNA sequencing of MHC genes, laying the theoretical foundations for understanding antigens associated with autoimmune diseases. In recent years, Dr. Winchester's research has shifted towards DNA peptide sequence analysis of T cell receptor beta chains, aiming to define the alterations in TCR repertoire that are associated with autoimmunity.

Research Interests

Experience