Chronic T cell activation is a hallmark of both ineffective anti-cancer immunity and persistent autoimmunity. The balance between T cell tolerance and activation is shaped by complex signalling inputs and the nutrient environment, which together influence T cell fate and function.
A key consequence of chronic stimulation and nutrient stress is disruption to protein synthesis and degradation, yet how these processes are regulated and how they impact T cell function remains poorly understood.
This project will use cutting-edge proteomics to uncover how altered protein translation and degradation influence T cell tolerance versus activation and drive immune-mediated tissue damage.
Students will gain experience in T cell culture, chronic viral and cancer models, flow cytometry, proteomics, and bioinformatic analysis, with opportunities to contribute to fundamental and translational immunology.
