Grant: Project Grant

The immune system is critical to human health. In order to develop vaccines and treatments for diseases where the immune system malfunctions (such as autoimmunity, inflammatory diseases or immunodeficiency), we need to better understand the fundamental mechanisms governing immune responses. Our research deals with the arm of the immune system responsible for producing antibodies, which are specialized proteins that bind to microorganisms and target them for destruction by the immune system. Antibodies are secreted into the blood and mucosal surfaces by cells called B lymphocytes. B lymphocytes express receptor proteins on their cell surface which allow them to sense the presence of foreign invaders, damaged cells and tissues, and other activated immune cells. Signals from these receptors trigger activation of individual B lymphocytes to divide, producing more copies of themselves, and mature into antibody secreting factories. Cell surface receptors deliver signals to the interior of the cell through signal transduction proteins which in turn activate enzymes that reprogram cellular metabolism to carry out either protective or damaging activities of these cells. Our research aims to define the molecular signaling pathways that regulate the activities of B lymphocytes during normal immune responses or abnormal autoimmune responses. Our work is identifying new molecular pathways that can be targeted to shut down B cells and treat autoimmune disease.