RESEARCH AREAS
We invent and apply cutting-edge tools in translational molecular biology to study immune system interactions. We use these tools to better understand human immunity, and to develop precisely targeted drugs and therapeutics. Check out all our unique approaches below!
Single-Cell Antibody Sequencing Technologies
The immune system can be trained to protect against infectious diseases either by natural infection, vaccination, antibody drug treatments, and one day with T cell receptor-based treatments. We study immune responses against a variety of globally significant infectious diseases, including SARS-CoV-2, malaria, HIV-1, and flaviviruses, both to understand the mechanisms of immune protection and to advance precision vaccines and drug designs.
Personalized Cancer Cures
T cell receptors (TCRs) play an important role in helping the body efficiently clear cancer cells, but they can also become exhausted and fail to recognize cancer cells. Our group is combining high-throughput screening experiments with computational prediction assays to identify TCRs that efficiently target tumors, while also sparing healthy tissue, for safe and durable cancer cures.
Healthy and Aberrant Antibody Development
Antibody immunity can effectively prevent many diseases, but sometimes antibodies fail to target pathogens in the right way, and can even lead to autoimmune responses. We study the mechanisms of how antibodies prevent disease in healthy individuals, and conversely how autoimmune antibodies can arise when immune tolerance is broken. Our efforts to better understand and influence healthy immune development will enable improved clinical treatments for autoimmune patients and in transplant settings.
Rapid Antibody Discovery
Antibody drugs present exciting opportunities to safely treat and prevent human diseases. However, traditional approaches to antibody discovery are laborious, time-consuming, and expensive. We are developing new technologies that dramatically improve the speed, cost, and quality of antibody drug development, and these new technologies are especially effective against challenging drug targets that have not yet been addressed by conventional methods.
