“When I began my search for a Ph. D. program I attempted to find one that would cater to my future goals in the biomedical sciences. A program that suited my needs would meet two critical requirements: 1) it would be the best overall institution in the field of study I was pursing; 2) the environment inside and outside of the institution would foster learning in a variety of ways. Based on the above criteria the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine was the obvious choice for several reasons. The faculty and students are the best in the field, the research in the program varies widely and is heavily funded, and the program is designed in such a way that it promotes growth in both an applicable and practical manner. In addition, the relaxed but serious environment was one that I felt I would thrive in and I believed that the city of Winston-Salem provided me with ample resources that would facilitate my needs inside and outside of the institution.”

Dissecting T Cell Responses at the Level of the Immunological Synapse

Protective immunity to Listeria monocytogenes requires a robust CD8 + T cell response. The activation of naïve CD8+ T cells begins when a T cell's receptor recognizes antigen presented in the context of MHC by APCs. This interaction signals the formation of the immunological synapse, a cell to cell junction that clusters signaling molecules in one region (c-SMAC) and adhesion molecules in another (p-SMAC). The characteristics of this synapse determine the type of response that develops in the T cell. Our laboratory has demonstrated that functional differences exist in CD8+ T cells primed by DCs infected with either the wild-type or mutant L. monocytogenes. We will utilize this finding to dissect the molecular mechanisms that give rise to either functional or anergic T cell responses at the level of the immunological synapse.