Amar Nijagal, MD

Asst Professor in Residence
Department of Surgery
+1 415 476-4086
Research Overview: 

We study how immune cells may regulate the development and repair of fetal organs. Our research is currently focused on the development of the liver and bile ducts as the fetal liver is ripe with interactions between developing hepatocytes/cholangiocytes and the hematopoietic system. We are interested in identifying key relationships and interactions between immune cells and developing tissues in both the steady state and during fetal injury. Using advanced surgical techniques in mouse models, we are able to manipulate and induce injury in fetal organs. We have also employed “discovery” approaches to identify novel cell types and pathways that may serve as a link between the immune system and fetal development.

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Research Summary: 
Immunology and fetal development

Websites

Featured Publications: 

Fetal intervention increases maternal T cell awareness of the foreign conceptus and can lead to immune-mediated fetal demise.

Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)

Wegorzewska M, Nijagal A, Wong CM, Le T, Lescano N, Tang Q, MacKenzie TC

Decreased risk of graft failure with maternal liver transplantation in patients with biliary atresia.

American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons

Nijagal A, Fleck S, Hills NK, Feng S, Tang Q, Kang SM, Rosenthal P, MacKenzie TC

A mouse model of in utero transplantation.

Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE

Nijagal A, Le T, Wegorzewska M, Mackenzie TC

Maternal T cells limit engraftment after in utero hematopoietic cell transplantation in mice.

The Journal of clinical investigation

Nijagal A, Wegorzewska M, Jarvis E, Le T, Tang Q, MacKenzie TC