Curiouser and curiouser: regulating the remarkable dynamics inside killer T cells

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Abstract:
Killer cells of the immune system provide a vital defence against pathogens and cancer. There is increasing interest in understanding how these cells work as recent advances in immunotherapies have successfully harnessed the killing potential of these cells to combat cancers. How best to optimise these treatments and regulate killing is the subject of intense research. However, most research to date has focused on modifying the receptors that recognise targets at the cell surface. In this seminar I will describe what happens underneath the surface of these cells when they encounter their targets and the multiple mechanisms that regulate killer cell function by mechanisms that are both unusual and fascinating, linking rapid membrane changes to changes in transcription, translation and intracellular polarity that are all required for optimal killing. Expect the unexpected!