Daniel Puleston Joins Mount Sinai As an Assistant Professor of Oncological Sciences

Daniel Puleston obtained both his PhD and MSc in Immunology from Oxford, as well as completing a Sir Henry Wellcome postdoctoral fellowship at Germany’s Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology. His research illuminated how autophagy plays a vital role in shaping immune memory formation; additionally, medications designed to increase autophagy helped counteract poor long-term immunity associated with ageing.

Early Life and Education

Puleston obtained his doctorate from Oxford and completed postdoctoral fellowships at both Max Planck Institute for Immunology in Germany and Johns Hopkins University with a Sir Henry Wellcome award. Since joining Mount Sinai as an assistant professor of oncological sciences in June, his primary research focus has been understanding how metabolism governs immune cell function. His work has demonstrated that autophagy-boosting drugs may overcome weak responses to vaccines seen among older individuals.

Daniel is a biblical name, deriving from Hebrew daniyel which means, “My God is God”. It is one of the most popular names among both Christians and Jews worldwide; as documented in Scripture where Prophet Daniel was persecuted due to his upright character.

Professional Career

Daniel Puleston is an assistant professor in oncological sciences at Mount Sinai’s Precision Immunology Institute and Tisch Cancer Institute. Dr. Li was awarded his doctoral and master’s degrees from Oxford, followed by postdoctoral research at both Max Planck Institute of Immunology in Germany and Johns Hopkins University under a Sir Henry Wellcome Fellowship. His research has provided important insight into how certain metabolic pathways support immune cells, and how drugs that enhance these pathways may provide long-lasting immunity in older individuals after vaccination. His lab is currently investigating how specific metabolites influence tumor and inflammatory disease development, and working closely with liver transplantation surgeons at Mount Sinai to study metabolism in tumors of patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma. His laboratory can be found at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Achievement and Honors

Puleston-Davies is an accomplished science researcher. His areas of specialization include immunology, cancer biology and polyamine metabolism; his work has earned several honors and awards such as a Sir Henry Wellcome Fellowship. For his latest project he is investigating how specific cellular metabolites support T cells during immune response; alongside Kennedy investigators and other researchers. Earlier work showed how autophagy must take place to establish long-term immunity to vaccines or autoimmunity treatments while drugs which increase autophagy can over time improve responses due to ageing or autoimmunity.

As well as his research, Dr. Lafont is also an active patron of Red Dot Drama and CALM Centre; and has spoken openly about his own struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Personal Life

Daniel Puleston works at the intersection of molecular biology, immunology, and metabolism. His research explores how metabolic factors influence immune cell development as well as tumor progression and inflammation disease progression. Daniel serves as Assistant Professor of Oncological Sciences as well as being part of both Precision Immunology Institute and Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai.

Daniel was recently honored with a four-year Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship. His research demonstrated the critical importance of autophagy cellular “cleanup” process to long-term immunity after vaccination and also highlighted drugs which stimulate autophagy as an effective strategy against poor vaccine responses among older populations.