The strength of our research projects is using and generating genetically-engineered animal models in understanding genetic and epigenetic regulation of the T-cell immune system and its microenvironment during aging. Our aim is to determine mechanistic insights into poor (immunosenescence) and harmful (autoimmune) T-cell immunity in the elderly for developing rejuvenation strategies to combat age-related chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer recurrence.
Our current NIH- & AAI-funded and potentially NIH-funded projects include: “Balance of thymic negative selection vs. Treg cell generation in the elderly (NIH-funded R01)”; “Biased Treg TCR specificity and its impact on immunity in the elderly (Potential NIH R01)”; and “Role of the central immune organ in cancer chemoimmunotherapy (AAI-funded fellowship).