Summary
Dr. Dizon received his M.D./Ph.D. at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His thesis project focused on understanding the functions of naturally-occurring self-reactive B cells and antibodies in murine models of autoimmune diabetes. He then completed an Internal Medicine-Pediatrics residency at the University of Rochester.
Pursuing his scientific interest in understanding the contributions of B cells and antibodies to the pathogenesis of systemic autoimmune diseases across the spectrum of life, Dr. Dizon then completed a combined rheumatology fellowship at NIAMS and Children’s National Hospital. He is currently a NIAMS Metzger Scholar in Translational Research continuing his training to become an independent physician-scientist.
Research Statement
Working in the lab of Dr. Susan Pierce, Dr. Dizon's research focuses on understanding the functions and regulation of autoreactive B cells in chronic infections (malaria), systemic autoimmunity (lupus), and long-lived immune responses elicited by vaccines (HPV vaccine). Autoreactive B cells are a component of the healthy immune system but are tightly regulated by a programmed state of hyporesponsiveness called anergy.
His research aims to understand how anergic B cells are activated or "awakened" under certain conditions to participate in responses to pathogens and vaccines, but also how these B cells function abnormally in systemic autoimmune diseases such as lupus.
Scientific Publications
Education
University of Miami (Florida)
B.S. Microbiology 2003
University of Miami (Florida)
B.A. Chemistry 2003
University of Alabama at Birmingham
M.D./Ph.D. 2013
Experience
University of Rochester (New York)
Residency in Internal-Medicine and Pediatrics (2013-2017)
NIAMS and Children’s National Hospital
Combined Rheumatology Fellowship (2017-2021)