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Focus

My research program as Canada Research Chair in Regulatory lymphocytes of the Immune System focuses on the immune regulation of autoimmune and infectious diseases mediated by naturally-occurring CD4+ regulatory T cells (nTreg), a unique population of cells with potent immunosuppressive functions in vitro an in vivo. nTreg cells constitute 1-10% of total CD4+ T cells from thymus, peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues in mice and humans. Functional abrogation of these cells in the host results in the onset of multi-organ-specific autoimmune diseases, and increases immunity to tumors, grafts, and various pathogens. Thus, nTreg cells play a central role in dampening peripheral immune responses, and contribute to the establishment of tolerance by an as-of-yet undefined mechanism.

My laboratory makes use of cutting-edge experimental strategies to characterize the relative contribution of nTreg cells as a determining factor in establishing resistance or susceptibility to autoimmune and infectious diseases. We try to characterize the functional dynamics of nTreg cell activity in human autoimmune diseases (type 1 diabetes) as well as in animal models of autoimmunity (type 1 diabetes), tumors (spontaneous breast cancer), infections (malaria), and mucosal immunity (inflammatory bowel disease). My research program makes use of standard and state-of-the-art molecular, proteomic, biochemical, cellular and imaging approaches to characterize the behavior of nTreg cells in health and disease.

Keywords

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Selected Publications

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