Dr. Don Vinh
Full Professor - Department of Medicine
Full Professor - Department of Medical Microbiology
Associate Member - Department of Human Genetics
FRQS Chercheur Mérite
Why do some individuals develop life-threatening infections after exposure to common microorganisms, while others remain asymptomatic? Our research investigates how human genetic variation shapes antimicrobial immunity and susceptibility to infectious disease.
As clinician-scientist, my team studies patients with unexplained severe or recurrent infections. By integrating clinical phenotyping with immunology, human genetics and experimental models, we identify inborn errors of immunity and define how they compromise host defence. Our goals are to provide molecular diagnoses, uncover fundamental mechanisms of human immunity and translate these discoveries into precise therapies.
A. Pathogen-directed inborn errors of immunity
1. Genetic susceptibility to invasive fungal disease
Our laboratory plays a leading role in defining how CARD9 deficiency causes selective human susceptibility to invasive fungal infections, including candidiasis, aspergillosis and fungal disease of the central nervous system. We identified a French-Canadian founder CARD9 variant and use human cells and experimental models to determine how CARD9-dependent pathways coordinate antifungal immunity and to identify rational adjunctive therapies.
2. Genetic susceptibility to persistent viral disease and virus-associated cancer
Our discovery of genetic RIG-I deficiency in a patient with Kaposi sarcoma revealed an essential role for this antiviral sensor in controlling Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. We are investigating patients with KSHV-associated disease to identify additional genetic causes of susceptibility to KSHV, while extending this approach to patients with other severe or persistent viral diseases.
B. Discovery and characterization of human disorders of immunity
We discovered human ICOS ligand deficiency, a combined immunodeficiency disorder. We are dissecting how loss of ICOS ligand affects different branches of immunity, including antibody production, T-cell differentiation and immune regulation.
More broadly, we investigate patients and families referred to my clinic with inexplicable infection, immune dysregulation, lymphoproliferation or autoimmunity, to identify the molecular basis of their disease. By combining genomic analysis with cellular and molecular studies, we seek to establish causality, define disrupted immune pathways and identify opportunities for individualized treatment.