Tamara Tilburgs

Dr. Tamara Tilburgs obtained her Ph.D. degree in Reproductive Immunology at Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands in the lab of Dr. Frans Claas, where she studied decidual T cell responses in healthy human pregnancies. She conducted a postdoctoral fellowship and held an Research Associate (Instructor) position in Dr. Jack Strominger’s laboratory at the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology at Harvard University, where she focused on the molecular mechanisms of immune tolerance by HLA-G+ extravillous trophoblasts.
Currently, Dr. Tilburgs’ laboratory investigates how maternal immune cells at the maternal-fetal interface establish tolerance to fetal antigens while at the same time maintaining immunity to viral and bacterial infections. She has published over 25 peer-reviewed papers in the area of reproductive immunology with a more specific scientific production in the field of immune regulatory mechanisms by HLA-G+ extravillous trophoblasts and decidual regulatory T cells as well as decidual NK cell and decidual effector T cell responses to placental and viral antigens.

Peer Reviewed Publications

Papúchová, Henrieta; Meissner, Torsten B; Li, Qin; Strominger, Jack L; Tilburgs, Tamara (2019. ) The Dual Role of HLA-C in Tolerance and Immunity at the Maternal-Fetal Interface.Frontiers in immunology, , 10 ,2730 More Information

Salvany-Celades, Maria; van der Zwan, Anita; Benner, Marilen; Setrajcic-Dragos, Vita; Bougleux Gomes, Hannah Ananda; Iyer, Vidya; Norwitz, Errol R; Strominger, Jack L; Tilburgs, Tamara (2019. ) Three Types of Functional Regulatory T Cells Control T Cell Responses at the Human Maternal-Fetal Interface.Cell reports, , 27 (9 ) ,2537-2547.e5 More Information

van der Zwan, Anita; Bi, Kevin; Norwitz, Errol R; Crespo, Ângela C; Claas, Frans H J; Strominger, Jack L; Tilburgs, Tamara (2018. ) Mixed signature of activation and dysfunction allows human decidual CD8+ T cells to provide both tolerance and immunity.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, , 115 (2 ) ,385-390 More Information

Tilburgs, Tamara; Meissner, Torsten B; Ferreira, Leonardo M R; Mulder, Arend; Musunuru, Kiran; Ye, Junqiang; Strominger, Jack L (2017. ) NLRP2 is a suppressor of NF-?B signaling and HLA-C expression in human trophoblasts†,‡.Biology of reproduction, , 96 (4 ) ,831-842 More Information

Ferreira, Leonardo M R; Meissner, Torsten B; Tilburgs, Tamara; Strominger, Jack L (2017. ) HLA-G: At the Interface of Maternal-Fetal Tolerance.Trends in immunology, , 38 (4 ) ,272-286 More Information

Crespo, Ângela C; van der Zwan, Anita; Ramalho-Santos, João; Strominger, Jack L; Tilburgs, Tamara (2017. ) Cytotoxic potential of decidual NK cells and CD8+ T cells awakened by infections.Journal of reproductive immunology, , 119 ,85-90 More Information

Crespo, Ângela C; Strominger, Jack L; Tilburgs, Tamara (2016. ) Expression of KIR2DS1 by decidual natural killer cells increases their ability to control placental HCMV infection.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, , 113 (52 ) ,15072-15077 More Information

Ferreira, Leonardo M R; Meissner, Torsten B; Mikkelsen, Tarjei S; Mallard, William; O'Donnell, Charles W; Tilburgs, Tamara; Gomes, Hannah A B; Camahort, Raymond; Sherwood, Richard I; Gifford, David K; Rinn, John L; Cowan, Chad A; Strominger, Jack L (2016. ) A distant trophoblast-specific enhancer controls HLA-G expression at the maternal-fetal interface.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, , 113 (19 ) ,5364-9 More Information

Tilburgs, Tamara; Strominger, Jack L (2016. ) Decidual endothelium, Notch1 and TGF?, gatekeepers for Treg accumulation at the maternal-fetal interface.Immunology and cell biology, , 94 (5 ) ,419-20 More Information

Tilburgs, Tamara; Evans, J Henry; Crespo, Ângela C; Strominger, Jack L (2015. ) The HLA-G cycle provides for both NK tolerance and immunity at the maternal-fetal interface.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, , 112 (43 ) ,13312-7 More Information

Guerin, Leigh; Wu, Vernon; Houser, Brandy; Tilburgs, Tamara; de Jong, Annemieke; Moody, D Branch; Strominger, Jack L (2015. ) CD1 Antigen Presentation and Autoreactivity in the Pregnant Human Uterus.American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989), , 74 (2 ) ,126-35 More Information

Tilburgs, Tamara; Crespo, Ângela C; van der Zwan, Anita; Rybalov, Basya; Raj, Towfique; Stranger, Barbara; Gardner, Lucy; Moffett, Ashley; Strominger, Jack L (2015. ) Human HLA-G+ extravillous trophoblasts: Immune-activating cells that interact with decidual leukocytes.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, , 112 (23 ) ,7219-24 More Information

Guo, Zhenhong; Tilburgs, Tamara; Wong, Bonnie; Strominger, Jack L (2014. ) Dysfunction of dendritic cells in aged C57BL/6 mice leads to failure of natural killer cell activation and of tumor eradication.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, , 111 (39 ) ,14199-204 More Information

Tilburgs, Tamara; Strominger, Jack L (2013. ) CD8+ effector T cells at the fetal-maternal interface, balancing fetal tolerance and antiviral immunity.American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989), , 69 (4 ) ,395-407 More Information

Ackerman, W E; Bulmer, J N; Carter, A M; Chaillet, J R; Chamley, L; Chen, C P; Chuong, E B; Coleman, S J; Collet, G P; Croy, B A; de Mestre, A M; Dickinson, H; Ducray, J; Enders, A C; Fogarty, N M E; Gauster, M; Golos, T; Haider, S; Heazell, A E; Holland, O J; Huppertz, B; Husebekk, A; John, R M; Johnsen, G M; Jones, C J P; Kalionis, B; König, J; Lorenzon, A R; Moffett, A; Moreira de Mello, J C; Nuzzo, A M; Parham, P; Parolini, O; Petroff, M G; Pidoux, G; Ramírez-Pinilla, M P; Robinson, W P; Rolfo, A; Sadovsky, Y; Soma, H; Southcombe, J H; Tilburgs, T; Lash, G E (2012. ) IFPA Meeting 2011 workshop report III: Placental immunology; epigenetic and microRNA-dependent gene regulation; comparative placentation; trophoblast differentiation; stem cells.Placenta, , 33 Suppl ,S15-22 More Information

Lashley, Lisa E E L O; van der Hoorn, Marie-Louise P; van der Mast, Barbara J; Tilburgs, Tamara; van der Lee, Nadine; van der Keur, Carin; van Beelen, Els; Roelen, Dave L; Claas, Frans H J; Scherjon, Sicco A (2011. ) Changes in cytokine production and composition of peripheral blood leukocytes during pregnancy are not associated with a difference in the proliferative immune response to the fetus.Human immunology, , 72 (10 ) ,805-11 More Information

Houser, Brandy L; Tilburgs, Tamara; Hill, Jonathan; Nicotra, Matthew L; Strominger, Jack L (2011. ) Two unique human decidual macrophage populations.Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), , 186 (4 ) ,2633-42 More Information

Tilburgs, Tamara; Schonkeren, Dorrith; Eikmans, Michael; Nagtzaam, Nicole M; Datema, Gert; Swings, Godelieve M; Prins, Frans; van Lith, Jan M; van der Mast, Barbara J; Roelen, Dave L; Scherjon, Sicco A; Claas, Frans H (2010. ) Human decidual tissue contains differentiated CD8+ effector-memory T cells with unique properties.Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), , 185 (7 ) ,4470-7 More Information

Tilburgs, Tamara; Scherjon, Sicco A; Claas, Frans H J (2010. ) Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mediated immune regulation of decidual leukocytes at the fetal-maternal interface.Journal of reproductive immunology, , 85 (1 ) ,58-62 More Information

Tilburgs, T; Claas, F H J; Scherjon, S A (2010. ) Elsevier Trophoblast Research Award Lecture: Unique properties of decidual T cells and their role in immune regulation during human pregnancy.Placenta, , 31 Suppl ,S82-6 More Information

Tilburgs, Tamara; Scherjon, Sicco A; van der Mast, Barbara J; Haasnoot, Geert W; Versteeg-V D Voort-Maarschalk, Minke; Roelen, Dave L; van Rood, Johannes J; Claas, Frans H J (2009. ) Fetal-maternal HLA-C mismatch is associated with decidual T cell activation and induction of functional T regulatory cells.Journal of reproductive immunology, , 82 (2 ) ,148-57 More Information

Tilburgs, Tamara; van der Mast, Barbara J; Nagtzaam, Nicole M A; Roelen, Dave L; Scherjon, Sicco A; Claas, Frans H J (2009. ) Expression of NK cell receptors on decidual T cells in human pregnancy.Journal of reproductive immunology, , 80 (1-2 ) ,22-32 More Information

Tilburgs, Tamara; Scherjon, Sicco A; Roelen, Dave L; Claas, Frans H J (2009. ) Decidual CD8+CD28- T cells express CD103 but not perforin.Human immunology, , 70 (2 ) ,96-100 More Information

Repnik, U; Tilburgs, T; Roelen, D L; van der Mast, B J; Kanhai, H H H; Scherjon, S; Claas, F H J (2008. ) Comparison of macrophage phenotype between decidua basalis and decidua parietalis by flow cytometry.Placenta, , 29 (5 ) ,405-12 More Information

Tilburgs, Tamara; Roelen, Dave L; van der Mast, Barbara J; de Groot-Swings, Godelieve M; Kleijburg, Carin; Scherjon, Sicco A; Claas, Frans H (2008. ) Evidence for a selective migration of fetus-specific CD4+CD25bright regulatory T cells from the peripheral blood to the decidua in human pregnancy.Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), , 180 (8 ) ,5737-45 More Information

Tilburgs, T; Roelen, D L; van der Mast, B J; van Schip, J J; Kleijburg, C; de Groot-Swings, G M; Kanhai, H H H; Claas, F H J; Scherjon, S A (2006. ) Differential distribution of CD4(+)CD25(bright) and CD8(+)CD28(-) T-cells in decidua and maternal blood during human pregnancy.Placenta, , 27 Suppl A ,S47-53 More Information

Gredmark, Sara; Tilburgs, Tamara; Söderberg-Nauclér, Cecilia (2004. ) Human cytomegalovirus inhibits cytokine-induced macrophage differentiation.Journal of virology, , 78 (19 ) ,10378-89 More Information

Pregnancy, Placenta, T cells, NK cells, Immune Tolerance, Placental Infection, Regulatory T cells, Effector T cells, Human Cytomegalovirus, Maternal-Fetal Interface

Academic - Cincinnati Children's Hospital
3333 Burnet Ave
Cincinnati  Ohio, 45220
Tamara.Tilburgs@cchmc.org