Research in the Richer lab is focused on understanding the role inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines play in the biology of both effector and memory CD8 T cells. In particular, we study how cytokines influence the antigen sensitivity of CD8 T cells and how this process is regulated in health and disease. We have demonstrated that inflammatory cytokines regulate the antigenic sensitivity of both effector and memory CD8 T cells by either enhancing or dampening T-cell receptor signaling capacity and that this can shape the outcome of infection. We are interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms governing this regulation and whether these mechanisms are affected over the course of chronic infection or in disease states such as cancer or autoimmunity.
In addition, we study how exposure to inflammatory cytokines influences other functional characteristics of effector and memory CD8 T cells.
Finally, we have recently developed a research project on the immune response to Zika virus infection.
Research in the Richer Lab is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate both effector and memory CD8 T cell responses. In particular we are interested in the role inflammatory cytokines play in CD8 T cell biology and how CD8 T cells can be manipulated to enhance protective immunity.
