A group photo of Karandikar Lab

2023 Lab Group Photo

About The Lab

A major focus of the laboratory is the immune-mediated, demyelinating disease, multiple sclerosis (MS). Through studies in human MS and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), we are dissecting the role of autoreactive and regulatory CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells in the intrinsic as well as therapeutic modulation of disease, including their interactions with dendritic cells and B cells. We are dissecting the role of effect  or T-cell resistance to immune suppression. An additional intent of these studies is also to unveil the regulatory components of the healthy immune system. We are also closely involved in several collaborative projects, including clinical projects involving immunophenotypic characterization and multi-modality diagnostics of hematolymphoid disorders and the development and evaluation of newer diagnostic test technologies in cellular immunology and clinical flow cytometry.

Research Projects

Karandikar's Lab Members

Front: Michael Crawford, Alexander Boyden, Nitin Karandikar, Kai Rogers, Chakrapani Vemulawada
Back: Mohit Upadhye, Connor Wilhelm, Mohan Kumar, Aditya Kulkarni, Kshitija Kale

Recent News

Nitin Karandikar

Nitin Karandikar to Serve as Enterprise Chief Strategy Officer While Continuing as Pathology Chair and DEO

Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Nitin Karandikar, MD, PhD, has been named the enterprise chief strategy officer for University of Iowa Health Care, expanding his executive leadership responsibilities while he continues as professor and chair of the Department of Pathology.
Four people in lab coats smiling

Dr. Kai Rogers Secures Best Abstract Award from the American Society for Apheresis

Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Dr. Kai Rogers received the Best Abstract Award from the American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) for his abstract titled "A Murine Model of Extracorporeal Photopheresis as a Targeted Immunotherapy for Multiple Sclerosis," co-authored with Drs. Kathryn Eschbacher, Alexander Boyden, and Nitin Karandikar.
Alexander Boyden

Dr. Alexander Boyden receives a one-year research grant from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society investigating the role of Epstein Barr Virus-like murine viral infection on the induction of multiple sclerosis

Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Dr. Alexander Boyden received a one-year RFA research grant award from the National MS Society entitled “Impact of gamma herpesvirus infection on required B cell:CD4 T cell interactions in a novel B cell-dependent, antibody-independent EAE model”.