Our laboratory is interested in examining the consequences of CD8+ T cell interactions with antigens expressed by normal tissues and cancers.  Earlier studies showed that priming of naive CD8+ T cells to become either effector CTL, or to be rendered tolerant is determined by a combination of signals mediated by professional antigen-presenting cells such as dendritic cells (DC) as well as normal and tumour cells.

We also know that altering any one of these signals dramatically shifts the balance between immune reactivity and tolerance induction.  The following projects aim to develop a deeper understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that control T cell immunity to normal, infected and cancerous tissues:

• To define the factors associated with both CD8+ T cells and tumor cells which influence the generation of effective anti-tumour responses.
• To examine the role of the tumour microenvironment in controlling anti-tumour CD8+ T cell responses.
• Development of novel vaccine approaches to combat human tumours.
• Differential regulation of chronic inflammation in autoimmune disease.
• To examine the role of dendritic cells (DC) during CD8+ T cell tolerence induction and autoimmunity to pancreatic self-antigens expressed by pancreatic islet β cell.