Determining signaling signatures activated by cytokines in the major immune cell population
We know a lot about individual signalling molecules activated in response to cytokines. What we still do not understand, however, is how exactly cytokines interact with their receptors to activate these signalling molecules and how the signalling molecules themselves interact with each other to generate the large functional pleiotropy exhibited by cytokines.
We use high resolution mass spectrometry and high-throughput flow cytometry in combination with protein engineering to obtain highly detailed maps of the intracellular signaling networks engaged by cytokines in the most relevant immune cell types, i.e. T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, Macrophages, …
We will use the molecular insights obtained from these studies to engineer synthetic agonists with tailored functional properties to interrogate and manipulate cellular responses promoted by cytokines for potential pharmaceutical applications.