The Kagan lab studies how innate immune activities in dendritic cells can be utilized to stimulate robust and protective T cell responses to cancer. We are interested in defining the mechanisms of action of classic and next-generation vaccine adjuvants, which stimulate five key activities in dendritic cells needed for robust T cell mediated immunity. These activities include 1) MHC-mediated presentation of protein antigens, 2) T cell costimulatory molecule expression, 3) Effector T cell activating cytokine expression, 4) DC migration to the lymph node that drains the cancerous tissue, and 5) production and release of the memory inducing cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and type I interferon (IFN). The former cytokine (IL-1β) mediates CD4+ and CD8+ T cell activities whereas the latter (IFN) primarily mediates CD8+ T cell activities. Each of these five DC activities is necessary for the differentiation of naïve T cells into robust and durable mediators of anti-tumor (and anti-infective) immunity.
Kagan Lab 
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