About NIMML
The NIMML Institute is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit public charity foundation focused on a transdisciplinary, team-science approach to precision medicine at the interface of immunology, inflammation, and metabolism. The NIMML Institute team has led numerous large-scale transdisciplinary projects and is dedicated to solving important societal problems by combining the expertise of immunologists, computational biologists, toxicologists, modelers, translational researchers, and molecular biologists. The central integrative theme of NIMML Institute is the view of the immune system as a massively and dynamically interacting system and the application of novel advanced computational methods to unravel its complexity and accelerate the discovery and characterization of novel pathways to enable the development of new classes of therapeutics for autoimmune, infectious, and chronic inflammatory diseases.
NIMML History
NIMML was founded in 2002 under the guidance of Dr. Bassaganya-Riera and Dr. Hontecillas. The NIMML Institute is committed to transdisciplinary, team-science approaches with a personalized medicine focus at the interface of immunology, inflammation, and metabolism. The NIMML research programs incorporate drug development, nutritional immunology, immunometabolism, computational immunology, and clinical and translational research in autoimmune, infectious, and chronic inflammatory diseases. The scope of NIMML’s research ranges from in silico and in vitro studies to mechanistic, translational and Phase 1-4 clinical trials.
The NIMML research has pioneered platforms applying high-throughput computational, experimental immunology techniques, and system biology approaches in translational immunology research and discovery. Through the NIAID-funded Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens under the Modeling Immunity for Biodefense (MIB) program, the NIMML applied advanced computational approaches to analyze high-dimensional, high-throughput datasets, model and simulate human immunology systems and help immunologists conduct in silico experiments to develop a more mechanistic experimental design, validate hypotheses and save significant time and laboratory cost.
Dr. Josep Bassaganya-Riera President, Founding Director & Distinguished Professor
Dr. Josep Bassaganya-Riera is the President and Founding Director of the NIMML Institute, a 501 (c)(3) public charity foundation. He is an innovator, thought leader, and serial entrepreneur, with more than 20 years of R&D experience in the interface of immunology and advanced computational modeling. As a Distinguished Professor, he has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and books on the acceleration of biopharmaceutical development, bioinformatics, and computational immunology, and he has contributed 50 patents in immunology and autoimmune disease treatment. He has founded 3 award-winning Companies (Landos Biopharma, Pervida and Biotherapeutics), raising over $200 million in non-dilutive and equity financing rounds. He served as the Director of the NIH-funded Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens under the modeling immunity for biodefense (MIB) program. Through its corporate culture, encapsulated in 4 pillars: be bold and decisive, never give up, be solution-oriented and do the impossible, these values empower NIMML Institute members to think outside the box to achieve creative and innovative solutions that promote technological innovation.
Selected Publications
- Activation of NLRX1 by NX-13 Alleviates Inflammatory Bowel Disease Through Immunometabolic Mechanisms in CD4 + T Cells, The Journal of Immunology, 2019
- Exploratory Studies With NX-13: Oral Toxicity and Pharmacokinetics in Rodents of an Orally Active, Gut-Restricted First-In-Class Therapeutic for IBD That Targets NLRX1, Drung and Chemical Toxicology, 2019
- High-resolution computational modeling of immune responses in the gut, Gigascience, 2019
- The Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics Profile of BT-11, an Oral, Gut-Restricted Lanthionine Synthetase C-Like 2 Agonist Investigational New Drug for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase I Clinical Trial, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, 2019
- Nonclinical Toxicology and Toxicokinetic Profile of an Oral Lanthionine Synthetase C-Like 2 (LANCL2) Agonist, BT-11, International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
- Oral Treatment With BT-11 Ameliorates Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Enhancing Regulatory T Cell Responses in the Gut, The Journal of Immunology, 2019
- Activation of LANCL2 by BT-11 Ameliorates IBD by Supporting Regulatory T Cell Stability Through Immunometabolic Mechanisms, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, 2018
- NLRX1 Modulates Immunometabolic Mechanisms Controlling the Host-Gut Microbiota Interactions During Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Frontiers in Immunology, 2018
- Modulation of Immune Signaling and Metabolism Highlights Host and Fungal Transcriptional Responses in Mouse Models of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis, Scientific Reports, 2017
- Modeling New Immunoregulatory Therapeutics as Antimicrobial Alternatives for Treating Clostridium Difficile Infection, Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, 2017
- Lanthionine Synthetase C-Like 2 Modulates Immune Responses to Influenza Virus Infection, Frontiers of Immunology, 2017
- Cooperation of Gastric Mononuclear Phagocytes with Helicobacter pylori during Colonization, The Journal of Immunology, 2017
- NLRX1 Regulates Effector and Metabolic Functions of CD4 + T Cells, The Journal of Immunology, 2017
In The News
- Landos Biopharma’s promising anti-inflammation drug moves into Phase II trials, Virginia Business, 2019
- Landos Biopharma Announces First Patient Dosed in Global Phase 2 Clinical Trial of BT-11 in Mild to Moderate UC, BioSpace, Aug 2019
- Landos Biopharma Completes $60 Million Series B Financing, Businesswire, Aug 2019
- Landos Biopharma Announces Publication of Results from First-in-Human Phase 1 Study of BT-11 in Healthy Volunteers, Financial Content
Interviews
- Proactive Investors, Feb 2018
- BIO CEO & Investor Conference 2018, SNNLive, Mar 2018
- Proactive Investors, Jul 2018
- Biotech Showcase 2019, The Pink sheet, Jan 2019
- Finding Genius Podcast, Oct 2019
Talks
- Landos Biopharma Business Update, Solebury Trout, Mar 2020
- Landos Biopharma Corporate Update, Cowen Outperform 40th Annual Healthcare Conference, Mar 2020
- Landos Biopharma, H.C. Wainwright 21st annual global investment conference, Sep 2019
- Accelerated Path to cures, TEDx Talk, 2017
Our Mission
To comprehensively and systematically characterize mechanisms of action underlying infectious, metabolic and autoimmune diseases; The NIMML Institute will translate this new scientific knowledge to identify new therapeutic targets and develop innovative therapeutics for human diseases that are safer and more effective.
Our Vision
To become a world-leading transdisciplinary research institute that combines advanced computational methods with preclinical, translational and clinical research and development.
Our Values
Be bold and decisive in solving the world’s most pressing challenges.
Never give up in finding disease treatments.
Be solution-oriented in the face of problems.
Do the Impossible to address the unmet needs of patients.
Open positions
What NIMML Students Say
"The work I have done as an undergraduate research assistant at NIMML has completely reinvigorated my interest and passion for scientific discovery. The knowledge and skills I have garnered in a research environment feel so much more valuable than just listening to a lecture, while also enriching that same classroom information. Prior to my undergraduate research experience, I was unsure about what to do with my degree. Now I know for sure that biotechnology research and eventually a PhD is the path for me."
- Chase Heltzel
Please email us at jbassaga@nimml.org if you would like to discuss the possibility of contributing financial support for our research, or if you are ready to contribute a tax-deductible donation.