Ari B. Molofsky, MD PhD

Ari B. Molofsky, MD, PhD

Associate Clinical Professor, Assistant Director of Clinical Labs Immunology Section
Laboratory Medicine
Division
Hematology
Specialty Areas
Hematopathology
Immunology

UCSF
Laboratory Medicine, Box 0451
513 Parnassus Avenue, Room HSW-1201U
San Francisco, CA 94143
United States

Hospital Affiliations
UCSF Parnassus Heights
Other UCSF Organizational Association(s)
Research and Clinical Interests

Dr. Ari Molofsky is an Associate Professor at UCSF in the Department of Laboratory Medicine. Trained as an MD/PhD with a clinical specialization in Hematopathology, his primary focus is leading a basic research laboratory that works at the intersection of immunology and tissue homeostasis and pathology. Dr. Molofsky’s research group uses foundational models to study organ development and remodeling, with a particular focus on stromal - immune niches.  Their research focus includes studies that span brain, lung, liver, adipose tissue, skin, and intestine. To determine the in vivo function and interactions of immune cells, the Molofsky lab uses murine cytokine reporter tools, volumetric and quantitative confocal microscopy with tissue clearing, single cell/spatial RNA-single sequencing, and pathologic tissue perturbations. Their long-term research goal is to elucidate the dynamic ‘immune-stromal topography’ of healthy and diseased organs. Dr. Molofsky believes that foundational knowledge will intelligently inform therapeutic targeting of tissue-resident immune cells and their stromal niche partners to ultimately build (or rebuild) healthy tissue structure, improving human health span and alleviating disease. Mentorship and teaching are also central aspects of Dr. Molofsky’s work, where he is dedicated to training and educating the next generation of biomedical scientists and clinicians at UCSF and within the broader international scientific community.

Selected Publications
  • Dahlgren MW, Jones SW, Cautivo KM, Dubinin A, Ortiz-Carpena JF,  Farhat S, Yu KS, Lee K, Wang C, Molofsky AV, Tward AD, Krummel MF, Peng T, Molofsky AB. (2019) Adventitial stromal cells define group 2 innate lymphoid cell tissue niches. Immunity. PMCID: PMC6553479
  • Cautivo KM, Steer CA, Molofsky AB. (2020). Immune outposts in the adventitia: One foot in sea and one on shore. Curr. Opin. Immunol. 64, 34–41.
  • Cautivo, KM, Matatia, PR, Lizama, CO, Mroz, NM, Dahlgren, MW, Yu, X, Sbierski-Kind, J, Taruselli, MT, Brooks, JF, Wade-Vallance, A, Caryotakis, SE, Chang, AA, Liang, HE, Zikherman, J, Locksley, RM, & Molofsky, AB. (2022). Interferon gamma constrains type 2 lymphocyte niche boundaries during mixed inflammation. Immunity, 55(2), 2022.  PMCID: 35139352.
  • Vainchtein ID, Chin G, Cho FS, Kelley KW, Miller JG, Chien EC, Liddelow SA, Nguyen PT, Nakao-Inoue, H, Dorman, LC, Akil O, Joshita S, Barres, BA, Paz, JT, Molofsky, AB#, Molofsky, A.V.#, 2018. Astrocyte-derived interleukin-33 promotes microglial synapse engulfment and neural circuit development. Science 359: 1269-1273, PMCID PMC6070131.   # co-corresponding
  • Wang C, Hyams B, Allen NC, Cautivo K, Monahan K, Zhou M, Dahlgren MW, Lizama CO, Matthay M, Wolters P, Molofsky AB#, and Peng T# (2023) Dysregulated tissue niche potentiates resident lymphocytes to suppress an interferon-sensitive stem cell reservoir in emphysema.  Immunity, 2023, PMCID pending. # co-corresponding

A full list of my publications is available at: My Bibliography: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/14AY37wr6bCAj/bibliography/public/ 

Awards
  • 2022: Most ‘Highly Cited Researchers’ over past decade, top 1%, Clarivate.
  • 2021: UCSF Medical School ‘Foundations Curriculum” Teaching Award.
  • 2019: American Association of Immunology, Travel Award
  • 2019: Nina Ireland Program for Lung Health Award
  • 2017: American Association of Immunology, Travel Award
  • 2017: New Frontiers Research Awardee, UCSF Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research
  • 2017: Milstein Young Investigator Award, International Cytokine & Interferon Society
  • 2014: Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08)
  • 2007: MD, graduate with research distinction, U. of Michigan
  • 2006: Rackham Distinguished Dissertation Award Nominee, U. of Michigan
  • 2006: Ward J. MacNeal Distinguished Dissertation Award, Microbiology/Immunology
  • 2006: Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Medical Honors Society, U. of Michigan