VAPPL
Viral Antigen Processing & Presentation Lab
Exploring HLA class I antigen processing and presentation in viral immune detection and evasion
to advance therapeutic and vaccine development
Our Research
MHC class I molecules (HLA in humans) are essential for orchestrating immune responses to tumours and pathogen-infected cells. They do this by presenting protein fragments (peptides) from pathogen and tumour proteins at the cell surface for surveillance by immune cells. When CD8+ T cells detect a foreign (viral) peptide presented by MHC class I, they will proceed to lysing the target cell.
To evade immune detection, viruses have evolved strategies to manipulate MHC class I molecules. Alternatively, viruses can interfere with other proteins of the antigen processing and pathway that are involved in the generation, selection and loading of peptides on MHC class I.
With our research, we aim to better understand the MHC class I pathway in virus infections to i) gain a better understanding of immune detection of virus-infected cells and ii) to explore novel strategies by which viruses evade MHC class I pathway proteins. This has important translational potential given the importance of MHC molecules in infectious disease, cancer, and autoimmunity.
