History

La Jolla Institute for Immunology was established in 1988 by a coalition of leaders from academia and industry, including Dr. Makoto Nonaka, the Institute’s founding president, and Dr. Kimishige Ishizaka, the Institute’s first scientific director. These leaders envisioned a unique and dynamic partnership between basic science and applied research, one that would lead to breakthroughs in the understanding of the immune system and improve human health through the development of treatments and cures for immune system disorders.

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Pursuing Breakthroughs through Collaboration

From the moment the La Jolla Institute for Immunology started to take shape in La Jolla, California, it formed strong ties to major academic institutions and medical centers. While the Institute is proud of its independence as a stand-alone, non-profit research organization, its researchers have established important partnerships within the research community—in San Diego, across the U.S. and throughout the world. This collaborative and collegial work environment enables pioneering science that reaches across disciplines, inspires out-of-the-box thinking, sparks creativity and ultimately results in life-saving innovations.