Uncovering the Biology Behind Programmed Cell Death 1 (PD-1)
Ligation of the antigen receptors is insufficient to fully activate T cells, and additional signals must be provided by co-receptors. Understanding the biology behind these co-receptors is essential, due to their status as an ideal target in therapies. However, our mechanistic understanding of the signaling pathways downstream of T cell co-receptors is as of yet inadequate for this purpose.
A summary of all the proteins that we discovered to regulate PD-1 signaling and function.
Using cell biology and genetic approaches, we have uncovered the signaling pathways at work downstream of CD28 and CTLA-4, within the context of diverse cellular functions. One of our lab’s major ongoing research projects is uncovering the biology of PD-1 and LAG3 in exhausted T cells.