Ted H. Hansen, Ph.D.

DEPARTMENT OF Pathology & Immunology
Janet Connolly, Daved Fremont, and Michael Diamond
Keywords: immunology, virology, antigen presentation, immune evasion, MHC

Our laboratory studies antigen presentation by human or mouse class I MHC molecules to cytolytic T cells. This mechanism determines how the immune system discriminates self from non-self during virus infection, tumor surveillance and tissue transplantation. In these responses, class I molecules function as receptors that bind peptide ligands in the lumen of endoplasmic reticulum (ER). When complexes of class I molecules and non-self peptides are displayed at the cell surface, they identify cells for destruction by cytolytic T cells. Three major areas are currently being investigated.

First, we are defining novel pathways of how herpesvirus proteins block the expression of MHC molecules as a mechanism of immune evasion used by herperviruses CMV, KSHV, and gammaHV68.

Second, we are determining the role of the novel class I-like protein MR1 in regulating mucosal immune responses. Collaborators on this project include Drs. Susan Gilfillan, Thad Stappenbeck and Daved Fremont.

Third, we are engineering MHC molecules as single chains and testing their potential as novel vaccines against tumors and virus. Furthermore we are using mice that express single chain MHC molecules as transgenes to study the development of immune receptors on CD8 and NK cells. Collaborators on this project include Drs. Janet Connolly, Daved Fremont and Mike Diamond.