Areas of Research
Principal Investigators in this Research Area:
Hur Lab
Correct discrimination of "self" vs "non-self" nucleic acids by the innate immune system is essential for host… More
Kirchhausen Lab
Our research focuses on the processes that mediate and regulate the movement of membrane proteins throughout cells. In… More
Lieberman Lab
The Lieberman lab studies cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) that are key cells in the immune defense against… More
Remold Lab
Neutrophils and Pulmonary Infection
The Remold-O’Donnell Laboratory studies the role of SerpinB1 in protecting the host defenses of… More
Winau Lab
The Winau lab studies diverse aspects of antigen presentation, a process pivotal for activation of T-lymphocytes. Winau and… More
Immune Defense
Immune defense is the coordinated, complicated interplay of cellular mechanisms and antibodies to fight disease-causing agents, including viruses, bacteria, and other types of infection.
A prime example of our research in immune defense is an aggressive study of the role and specificity of a key element in our adaptive immune system: how killer T cells eliminate infectious cells.
Significant progress has occurred in understanding how a vaccine based on a protein derived from a common bacterium may prompt a potent T cell defense against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This work will have substantial impact in a more general understanding of how T cells can be marshaled to fight viruses and tumors.
Investigators have identified the following scientific challenges in this area of concentration:
- Understanding the regulation of T cell response in chronic infections
- Understanding how to regulate and manipulate killer T cells at the molecular level
- Discovering the role of programmed cell death (apoptosis) in immune defense
- Methods for inducing T cells specific for cancer and for viruses
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