Shane Crotty, Ph.D., an investigator with the Sinai-Emory Multi-Institutional Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Center (SEM CIVIC), has been elected as a Councilor of the American Association of Immunologists (AAI). Dr. Crotty is a Professor and Chief Scientific Officer at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology. His CIVICs research focuses on how immune cells work together to produce strong protection after vaccination. His lab discovered that the BCL6 gene helps control the formation of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, which coordinate with B cells in germinal centers to generate effective antibody responses. Building on their findings, Dr. Crotty’s team is developing new vaccine strategies, such as slow-delivery immunization, to strengthen human immune responses against influenza, strep throat, and COVID-19.

AAI voting members elect officers and committee leaders who help advance the organization’s mission: supporting the immunology community, strengthening public understanding of immunology, and sustaining a robust research enterprise. Dr. Crotty will serve a four-year term as Councilor beginning in July (2026-2030).  

See the full list of elected leaders here. To learn more about Dr. Crotty’s work, visit his lab website.