T cell

Mary Philip, MD, PhD, left, and Michael Rudloff, PhD, found that T cells become “exhausted” within hours of encountering a tumor, challenging existing ideas about how T cells become dysfunctional. (photo by Anthony Czelusniak)
August 3, 2023

Study finds hallmarks of T cell exhaustion within hours of tumor exposure

Vanderbilt researchers found that T cells become “exhausted” within hours of encountering a tumor, challenging existing ideas about how T cells become dysfunctional.

By Leigh MacMillan
Luc Van Kaer, PhD, left, Luke Postoak and colleagues have identified a protein that is key to the “education” of immature T cells in the thymus.
September 1, 2022

Study identifies key player in T cell “education”

New Vanderbilt research could inform therapeutic strategies for enhancing thymic function when desired — such as during aging, recovery from radiation therapy or chemotherapy, or other conditions that reduce T cell output.

By Leigh MacMillan
March 17, 2022

Blood test figures in cancer risk for people with HIV

A Vanderbilt study found that, among adult patients with HIV, those who have lower counts of certain types of blood cells have a markedly higher risk of developing cancer.

By Paul Govern
February 24, 2022

Melanoma treatment response

Targeting the interaction between melanoma and immune cells could improve responses to targeted cancer therapies, Vanderbilt researchers found.

By Sarah E. Glass
Ayaka Sugiura and Jeff Rathmell, PhD, are studying a metabolic enzyme involved in T cell function that may offer a new target for anti-inflammatory therapeutics.
November 11, 2021

CRISPR screen identifies new anti-inflammatory drug target

A novel CRISPR screen developed by Vanderbilt researchers identified a promising new target for anti-inflammatory therapeutics.

By Leigh MacMillan
September 16, 2021

‘Pre-conditioning’ restores immune tolerance

A treatment targeting T-cell metabolism could reinvigorate immune tolerance mechanisms to combat autoimmune disease and transplant rejection, Vanderbilt researchers discovered.

By Bill Snyder
April 1, 2021

Breast cancer cells ‘steal’ nutrients from immune cells: study

Triple-negative breast cancer cells engage in a “glutamine steal” — outcompeting T cells for the nutrient glutamine and impairing their ability to kill tumor cells, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.
By Leigh MacMillan
March 18, 2021

HIV, diabetes and immune cells in fat

In HIV-positive individuals with diabetes, immune cells in fat are more proinflammatory and cytotoxic and may represent a therapeutic target for diabetes.
By Leigh MacMillan
February 8, 2021

Key factors in HIV-1 replication

HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS, exploits inositol phosphates in T cells to aid its own assembly and maturation — suggesting that targeting inositol phosphate binding could inhibit HIV-1 replication.
By Anivarya Kumar
December 17, 2020

Study reveals new strategy for reducing tumor growth, metastasis

A team of Vanderbilt investigators has discovered that blocking a certain signaling pathway boosts antitumor immunity and reduces tumor growth and metastasis in models of breast cancer and melanoma.
By Leigh MacMillan
September 22, 2020

Rational vaccine design

Understanding immunity generated by smallpox vaccine may hold lessons for COVID-19 vaccine development.
By Leigh MacMillan
July 13, 2020

“Nur” target may aid arthritis treatment

Vanderbilt immunologists have discovered that the protein Nur77 is part of a control mechanism that guards against autoimmunity in natural killer T cells.
By Bill Snyder
July 18, 2019

Madhur receives Presidential Early Career Award

Meena Madhur, MD, PhD, has received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.
By Leigh MacMillan
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