Dr. Nathan Peters

Positions

Department Head

Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases

Associate Professor

Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases

Associate Professor

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Full Member

The Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Immunology Research Group

Full Member

Inflammation Research Network

Full Member

Infection Biology Research Group

Full Member

Host-Parasite Interactions Program

Full Member

Immunology Research Group

Contact information

ncpeters@ucalgary.ca

Web presence

Nathan Peters Lab

Phone number

Office: 403.210.7731

Location

Office: HRIC4A20
Lab: HRIC4B37 via HRIC 4B41

Background

Educational Background

Post Doctoral Fellowship Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (USA), 2008

Ph.D Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, 2003

B.Sc Honours Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, 1997

Biography

Dr. Peters completed his Ph.D. in the laboratory of Dr. Peter Bretscher at the University of Saskatchewan where he was the recipient of a Canadian Governor General’s Gold Medal for his graduate work. Dr. Peters continued his studies as a post-doctoral fellow in the laboratory of David Sacks and then as a staff scientist in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. During this time Dr. Peters began studying the role of inflammatory cells during infection with the parasite Leishmania and explored the concept of ‘immune memory’ during chronic parasitic infection. In September 2014 Dr. Peters continued his work with Leishmania at the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine with the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, and was cross-appointed to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. He became Department Head of MIID at the beginning of 2023.

Research

Areas of Research

The Peters lab is focused on the immunology of chronic infectious diseases, with a special emphasis on vector transmitted diseases.

Our research investigates the earliest events in the host response, including inflammatory cell interactions with vector inoculated pathogens, and the regulation and expression of immunity to reinfection. Current projects involve 1) immune correlates of protective CD4 T cell mediated immunity; 2) neutrophil responses to infection in the skin; and 3) the ontogeny and function of inflammatory monocytes. We aim to better understand how inflammation alters the regulation and expression of immunity. The goal of the lab is to develop new therapies and vaccines to combat chronic infectious diseases.