A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Blumberg received his undergraduate degree from Carnegie Mellon University, and obtained his M.D. (cum laude) from Jefferson Medical College of the Thomas Jefferson University. After his internal medicine training at The New York Hospital, Cornell Medical Center in New York, he completed clinical and research fellowships in Infectious Diseases at the Massachusetts General Hospital and in Gastroenterology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. During that time, he worked at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the Laboratory of Molecular Immunology with Professor Cox Terhorst. Following these fellowships, he was appointed to the faculty in the Gastroenterology Division at the Brigham and Women's Hospital where he has served as an attending physician, as Director of the Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology and Chief of the Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy Division since 1998.

Blumberg’s research laboratory studies the molecular cross-talk between mucosal bacteria, epithelial cells and lymphocytes that are involved in maintaining mucosal homeostasis and causing disease, especially inflammatory bowel disease. His laboratory has identified the key properties of carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule I (CEACAM1), the nonclassical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-related molecule, CD1d, and the MHC class I-related Fc receptor for IgG, FcRn, in mucosal tissues.

Rick will speak on CEACAM1 Regulation of Lymphocyte Function. This work adds another dimension to our growing knowledge of T cell co-stimulation.

The Immunology Interest Group (IIG) organizes activities designed to promote information exchange and interactions among NIH scientists interested in the field of immunology, broadly defined. Interactions are facilitated via weekly meetings on current topics as well as an annual Immunology Retreat.

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