John Monroe

Senior Director, ITGR Diagnostics Discovery

POSTDOC MENTOR

"We are entering the golden age of human immunology as a hypothesis-driven science. In the next 10 years we will witness explosive leaps in our understanding of human immunology at the molecular and genetic levels. Genentech will play a leading role in both efforts and I am proud to be part of its scientific team"

• 28
  years at Genentech
• 2
  publications (2010-12)
• 4
  awards & honors

I joined Genentech to help build a group of research scientists that will identify molecular markers that predict which patients will best benefit from biological and small molecule therapeutics. The decision was an easy one; there are very few places that provide opportunities to discover and develop drugs that will benefit patients and at the same time encourage research that will lead to a better understanding of human immunology.

It is a privilege to work with so many talented and dedicated people and for a company that respects the importance of rigorous basic research and fosters innovation in drug design and targets.

• My Focus

  My background is in immunology and more specifically, B lymphocyte biology. My current studies reflect these interests and focus on mechanisms controlling the survival and activation of B lymphocytes as well as the cellular and molecular processes that are disrupted in autoimmune and other inflammatory diseases.

  In addition, research in our group attempts through the understanding of disease mechanisms to discover biomarkers that will better characterize and subset immune system-mediated diseases and thereby facilitate identification of new therapeutic targets and the appropriate selection of patients for treatment with drugs with known mechanisms of action.

• Publications

  • B-cell targeted therapies in human autoimmune diseases: an updated perspective.

    Immunological Reviews, 2010, ISSN: 1600-065X

    Townsend, M.; Monroe, J.; Chan, A.

  • Baseline autoantibody profiles predict normalization of complement and anti-dsDNA autoantibody levels following Rituximab treatment in systemic lupus erythematosus.

    Lupus, 2010, ISSN: 1477-0962

    Tew, G.W.; Rabbee, N.; Wolslegel, K.; Hsieh, H.J.; Monroe, J.G.; Behrens, T.W.; Brunetta, P.G.; Keir, M.E.

• Education
  • Harvard Medical School, Department of Pathology, Postdoctoral Fellow – 1984
  • Duke University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Ph.D. – 1982
  • California State University, Northridge, Department of Cell Biology, M.S. – 1979
  • University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Biochemistry, B.S. – 1975
• Awards & Honors
  • American Association of Immunologists Distinguished Service Award – 2005
  • Dean's Award for Excellence in Graduate Training, University of Pennsylvania – 2003
  • Masters of Arts (Honorary), University of Pennsylvania – 1991
  • Aid to Cancer Research Fellow – 1984