LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ -- Dr. James E. Riggs (left) of Lambertville, NJ, associate professor of biology at Rider University, has received a three-year, $104,611 grant from the National Institutes of Health via the National Cancer Institute to study the effects of aging on the immune system and susceptibility to cancer and other diseases.

"As people grow older, they become more susceptible to infectious diseases and cancer," Riggs said. "We're interested in why this occurs and what the changes are in the immune system to have this occur."

Riggs, who explored this area of immunology in depth with Dr. Monte Hobbs of the University of Michigan during a sabbatical last year, said that it is important to gain a better insight into the biological processes that occur during aging with the elderly population growing and the high costs of hospitalization and treatment.

He noted Hobb's hypothesis that as people age, there are changes in their T and B cell populations. Their T cell pool is increasingly comprised of what are called memory T cells. These memory T cells are more easily activated and thus susceptible to dysregulation. A young person has a lot of fresh T cells and some memory T cells. In an older person, there are more memory T cells and fewer fresh T cells. As a consequence, the aged immune system may not respond properly to germs or cancer cells.

"The objective of our research is to define the events that lead to the generation of B cell lymphomas with aging. Further understanding of these mechanisms can lead to new therapies such as vaccination or immune modulation for age-appropriate intervention," Riggs added.

Since joining the Rider biology faculty in 1991, Riggs has received more than $400,000 to support his research -- first to study the immune system and AIDS and now the effects of aging on the immune system. Among his grants are three from the NIH.

His wife, Laura Blinderman, who a member of the biology faculty at Mercer County Community College, also received a $25,000 grant recently from the National Science Foundation for instrument and lab equipment.

Riggs said his grant "is a reflection of our having established a credible relationship with NIH. They are impressed with our research at Rider and our ability to train students in our labs. The students are co-authors on our research papers and, as a result, are attractive to graduate and medical schools and the pharmaceutical industry."

During the past year, Riggs has been in Washington, D.C. to review both grants and post-doctoral fellowship applications. This also helps establish a research profile for Rider, he said.

He earned his Ph.D. in immunology and his M.S. degree in microbiology from the University of Massachusetts. He received a B.S. degree magna cum laude from Delaware Valley College.