William Sha

William Sha is Professor Emeritus of Immunology and Molecular Medicine at the University of California, Berkeley, in the Department of BIO. His research focuses on the molecular control of antibody responses by B cells, including the identification of B7h, a novel costimulatory molecule expressed on B cells and other antigen-presenting cells. His work explores how B7h interacts with the ICOS receptor on T cells and how mechanisms such as ectodomain shedding and transcriptional regulation control B7h expression. Sha's research also examines the role of Toll-like receptors in modulating B7h shedding and its implications for autoimmune diseases. His studies integrate in vitro assays and transgenic/knockout mouse models to investigate these processes.