Elizabeth Field, M.D.

Research in the Field laboratory addresses the mechanisms of immunological tolerance. The current projects focus on elucidating the mode of action of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells, a specialized subset of CD4 T lymphocytes that function to regulate the balance between tolerance and immunity. (1) The dynamic cell:cell interactions between live CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells, effector CD4+ T cells and dendritic cells are defined with real-time dual laser time lapsed confocal microscopy. (2) The dynamic protein:protein interactions of interleukin-2 with its receptor are examined with fluorescent confocal imaging of live cells in vitro, using cells transfected to express genetically engineered fluorescent-tagged fusion proteins. The movements of the fluorescent-tagged proteins are monitored within and between T cells by time lapsed fluorescent confocal microscopy to define the IL-2/IL-2 receptor autocrine and paracrine trafficking during both a normal immune response and an immune response that is regulated by CD4+CD25+ T cells. The project is in collaboration with Dr. Michael E. Dailey, Biological Sciences, University of Iowa.