Michael Falta, PhD

Professional Titles

• Assistant Research Professor

Research Interests

I have a longstanding interest in understanding the role of CD4+ T cells in the immunopathology of autoimmune and pulmonary diseases. My current research focuses on identifying antigens that activate T cells in the lungs of patients with chronic beryllium disease and sarcoidosis. These efforts to describe T cell specificity may provide novel therapeutic targets. Additionally, as part of the ClinImmune team, I am involved in developing HLA gene-editing therapies for rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Publications

• Littlefield KM, Watson RO, Schneider JM, Neff CP, Yamada E, Zhang M, Campbell TB, Falta MT, Jolley SE, Fontenot AP, Palmer BE. SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells associate with inflammation and reduced lung function in pulmonary post-acute sequalae of SARS-CoV-2. PLoS Pathog. 2022 May;18(5):e1010359. PubMed PMID: 35617421
• McKee AS, Atif SM, Falta MT, Fontenot AP. Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Noninfectious Granulomatous Lung Disease. J Immunol. 2022 Apr 15;208(8):1835-1843. PubMed PMID: 35418504
• Greaves SA, Ravindran A, Santos RG, Chen L, Falta MT, Wang Y, Mitchell AM, Atif SM, Mack DG, Tinega AN, Maier LA, Dai S, Pinilla C, Grunewald J, Fontenot AP. CD4 T cells in the lungs of acute sarcoidosis patients recognize an Aspergillus nidulans epitope. J Exp Med. 2021 Oct 4;218(10). PubMed PMID: 34410304
• Falta MT, Crawford JC, Tinega AN, Landry LG, Crawford F, Mack DG, Martin AK, Atif SM, Li L, Santos RG, Nakayama M, Kappler JW, Maier LA, Thomas PG, Pinilla C, Fontenot AP. Beryllium-specific CD4 T cells induced by chemokine neoantigens perpetuate inflammation. J Clin Invest. 2021 May 3;131(9). PubMed PMID: 33630763
• Mitchell AM, Kaiser Y, Falta MT, Munson DJ, Landry LG, Eklund A, Nakayama M, Slansky JE, Grunewald J, Fontenot AP. Shared aß TCR Usage in Lungs of Sarcoidosis Patients with Löfgren's Syndrome. J Immunol. 2017 Oct 1;199(7):2279-2290. PubMed PMID: 28827283
• Fontenot AP, Falta MT, Kappler JW, Dai S, McKee AS. Beryllium-Induced Hypersensitivity: Genetic Susceptibility and Neoantigen Generation. J Immunol. 2016 Jan 1;196(1):22-7. PubMed PMID: 26685315
• Falta MT, Tinega AN, Mack DG, Bowerman NA, Crawford F, Kappler JW, Pinilla C, Fontenot AP. Metal-specific CD4( ) T-cell responses induced by beryllium exposure in HLA-DP2 transgenic mice. Mucosal Immunol. 2016 Jan;9(1):218-28. PubMed PMID: 26129650
• Munson DJ, Egelston CA, Chiotti KE, Parra ZE, Bruno TC, Moore BL, Nakano TA, Simons DL, Jimenez G, Yim JH, Rozanov DV, Falta MT, Fontenot AP, Reynolds PR, Leach SM, Borges VF, Kappler JW, Spellman PT, Lee PP, Slansky JE. Identification of shared TCR sequences from T cells in human breast cancer using emulsion RT-PCR. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Jul 19;113(29):8272-7. PubMed PMID: 27307436
• Clayton GM, Wang Y, Crawford F, Novikov A, Wimberly BT, Kieft JS, Falta MT, Bowerman NA, Marrack P, Fontenot AP, Dai S, Kappler JW. Structural basis of chronic beryllium disease: linking allergic hypersensitivity and autoimmunity. Cell. 2014 Jul 3;158(1):132-42. PubMed PMID: 24995984
• Mack DG, Falta MT, McKee AS, Martin AK, Simonian PL, Crawford F, Gordon T, Mercer RR, Hoover MD, Marrack P, Kappler JW, Tuder RM, Fontenot AP. Regulatory T cells modulate granulomatous inflammation in an HLA-DP2 transgenic murine model of beryllium-induced disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Jun 10;111(23):8553-8. PubMed PMID: 24912188
• Bowerman NA, Falta MT, Mack DG, Wehrmann F, Crawford F, Mroz MM, Maier LA, Kappler JW, Fontenot AP. Identification of multiple public TCR repertoires in chronic beryllium disease. J Immunol. 2014 May 15;192(10):4571-80. PubMed PMID: 24719461
• Dai S, Falta MT, Bowerman NA, McKee AS, Fontenot AP. T cell recognition of beryllium. Curr Opin Immunol. 2013 Dec;25(6):775-80. PubMed PMID: 23978481
• Falta MT, Pinilla C, Mack DG, Tinega AN, Crawford F, Giulianotti M, Santos R, Clayton GM, Wang Y, Zhang X, Maier LA, Marrack P, Kappler JW, Fontenot AP. Identification of beryllium-dependent peptides recognized by CD4 T cells in chronic beryllium disease. J Exp Med. 2013 Jul 1;210(7):1403-18. PubMed PMID: 23797096
• Highly conserved CDR3 region in circulating CD4+ Vß5+ T cells may be associated with cytotoxic activity in Chagas disease. Menezes CA, Sullivan AK, Falta MT, Mack DG, Freed BM, Rocha MO, Gollob KJ, Fontenot AP, Dutra WO. Clin Exp Immunol. 2012. 169:109-18.
• Menezes CA, Sullivan AK, Falta MT, Mack DG, Freed BM, Rocha MO, Gollob KJ, Fontenot AP, Dutra WO. Highly conserved CDR3 region in circulating CD4(+)Vß5(+) T cells may be associated with cytotoxic activity in Chagas disease. Clin Exp Immunol. 2012 Aug;169(2):109-18. PubMed PMID: 22774985
• Bowerman NA, Falta MT, Mack DG, Kappler JW, Fontenot AP. Mutagenesis of beryllium-specific TCRs suggests an unusual binding topology for antigen recognition. J Immunol. 2011 Oct 1;187(7):3694-703. PubMed PMID: 21873524
• Martin AK, Mack DG, Falta MT, Mroz MM, Newman LS, Maier LA, Fontenot AP. Beryllium-specific CD4+ T cells in blood as a biomarker of disease progression. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011 Nov;128(5):1100-6.e1-5. PubMed PMID: 21943943
• Bowerman NA, Falta MT, Mack DG, Kappler JW, Fontenot AP. Mutagenesis of beryllium-specific TCRs suggests an unusual binding topology for antigen recognition. J Immunol. 2011. 187:3694-3703.
• Martin AK, Mack DG, Falta MT, Mroz MM, Newman LS, Maier LA, Fontenot AP. Beryllium-specific CD4+ T cells in blood as a biomarker of disease progression. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011. 128:1100-1106.
• Goldstein JI, Kominsky DJ, Jacobson N, Bowers B, Regalia K, Austin GL, Yousefi M, Falta MT, Fontenot AP, Gerich ME, Golden-Mason L, Colgan SP. Defective leukocyte GM-CSF receptor (CD116) expression and function in inflammatory bowel disease. Gastroenterology. 2011.141:208-216.
• Falta, M.T., N.A. Bowerman, S. Dai, J.W. Kappler and A.P. Fontenot. Linking genetic susceptibility and T cell activation in beryllium-induced disease. Proc. Am. Thorac. Soc. 7:126-129. 2010.
• Falta MT, Bowerman NA, Dai S, Kappler JW, Fontenot AP. Linking genetic susceptibility and T cell activation in beryllium-induced disease. Proc Am Thorac Soc. 2010 May;7(2):126-9. PubMed PMID: 20427584
• Mack DG, Lanham AM, Falta MT, Palmer BE, Maier LA, Fontenot AP. Deficient and dysfunctional regulatory T cells in the lungs of chronic beryllium disease subjects. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2010 Jun 1;181(11):1241-9. PubMed PMID: 20299529
• Dai S, Murphy GA, Crawford F, Mack DG, Falta MT, Marrack P, Kappler JW, Fontenot AP. Crystal structure of HLA-DP2 and implications for chronic beryllium disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Apr 20;107(16):7425-30. PubMed PMID: 20356827
• Falta, MT, and AP Fontenot. Antigen Processing and Presentation. Comprehensive Toxicology 2nd Edition. Volume 6 - Toxicology of the Immune System. Editor DA Lawrence.
• Mack CL, Falta MT, Sullivan AK, Karrer F, Sokol RJ, Freed BM, Fontenot AP. Oligoclonal expansions of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in the target organ of patients with biliary atresia. Gastroenterology. 2007. 133:278-87.
• Falta MT, Crawford F, Geluk A, Ottenhoff THM, Grunewald J, Marrack P, Kapper JW, Fontenot, AP. Identifying T cell ligands in sarcoidosis. American Thoracic Society International Conference, Toronto, Canada. May 16-21, 2008
• Michael T. Falta, Frances Crawford, Annemieke Geluk, Tom H.M. Ottenhoff, Johan Grunewald, Philippa Marrack, John W. Kappler and Andrew P. Fontenot. Identifying T cell ligands in Sarcoidosis. Aspen Lung Conference, Aspen, CO. June 2006
• Jorgensen, T.N., J. Thurman, S. Izui, M.T. Falta, T.E. Metzger, S.A. Flannery, P. Marrack and B.L. Kotzin. Genetic susceptibility to polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid-induced accelerated proteinuria and premature death in lupus-prone mice. Genes Immun. 2006. 7(7:555-67.
• Falta, M.T., A.P. Fontenot, E.F. Rosloniec, F. Crawford, C.L. Roark, J. Bill, P. Marrack, J. Kappler and B.L. Kotzin. MHC class II/peptide tetramer staining in relation to functional avidity and TCR diversity in the mouse CD4+ T cell response to a rheumatoid arthritis associated antigen. Arthritis Rheum., 52:1885-1896. 2005
• Sullivan, A.K., P.L. Simonian, M.T. Falta, G.P. Cosgrove, K.K. Brown, B.L. Kotzin, N.F. Voelkel and A.P. Fontenot. Oligoclonal CD4+ T cells in the lungs of patients with severe emphysema. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 172:590-596. 2005.
• Bill, J.R., D.G. Mack, M.T. Falta L.A. Maier, F.G. Joslin, A.K. Martin, B.M. Freed, B.L. Kotzin and A.P. Fontenot. Beryllium presentation to CD4+ T cells is dependent on a single amino acid residue of the MHC class II ?-chain. J. Immunol. 175:7029-7037. 2005.
• Dai, S., G.A. Murphy, F. Crawford, D.G. Mack, M.T. Falta, P. Marrack, J.W. Kappler and A.P. Fontenot. Crystal structure of HLA-DP2: Implications for chronic beryllium disease. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. In press.
• Falta, M.T., N.A. Bowerman, S. Dai, J.W. Kappler, and A.P. Fontenot. Linking Genetic Susceptibility and T Cell Activation in Beryllium-Induced Disease. Proc. Am. Thorac. Soc. In press.
• Bowerman NA, Falta MT, Mack DG, Wehrmann F, Crawford F, Mroz MM, Maier LA, Kappler JW, Fontenot AP. Identification of Multiple Public T Cell Receptor Repertoires in Chronic Beryllium Disease. J. Immunol. In press.