UMCUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical School · Biology
Histone Discoveries Lab
Kenneth L Rock · Worcester, Massachusetts
Research Focus
The lab led by Dr. Kenneth L Rock studies how the immune system responds to cell injury and death, focusing particularly on histones - molecules released when cells die. By identifying novel receptors that detect these histones, the lab aims to understand their role in triggering inflammation and how this relates to various diseases such as strokes and infections. Their findings could help develop new treatments to prevent or treat related health issues.
histone receptorssterile inflammationcell injuryinnate immunitydisease pathogenesisimmune responseC-type lectin receptorsDAMPspathogenicitytherapeutic targets
Research Aims
4AIM 01Elucidate the role of novel Clec-histone receptors (CHRs) in innate immune responses to histones in vivo.
AIM 02Define the immune cells that utilize CHRs to sense histones and detail their inflammatory responses.
AIM 03Identify the specificity and consequences of histone stimulation on CHRs in human and mouse models.
AIM 04Investigate the underlying mechanisms by which histones regulate immune responses and pathogenesis in tissue injury.
Skills the Lab Values
cell culturein vivo modelsimmunohistochemistryflow cytometryRNA sequencingprotein purificationWestern blottinganimal surgerymolecular cloningbioinformatics
Output against the department
Publications254top 24% of dept.243rd of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations42ktop 6% of dept.67th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.