Shannon Dunn

Dr. Dunn is an Associate Professor of the Department of Immunology at the University of Toronto. She is also a scientist at Sunnybrook Research Institute and is the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Sex and Gender chair in immunity.  She leads a research program that focuses on how risk factors for multiple sclerosis (MS) impact the immune system to modulate the development and progression of central nervous system autoimmunity. She employs both animal models of MS and studies of human blood cells to investigate how these risk factors modulate the immune system. In her past work, she made important contributions to the understanding the role of female sex and lifestyle factors such as obesity enhance autoimmunity through increased Th1 cytokine responses. Her lab is currently investigating the role of sex, ovarian hormones obesity, cigarette smoking, and head injury on development of central nervous system autoimmunity.