Advisor: Howard Xue

Determining the transcriptional regulation of the T cell response by T-cell factor 1

T cell-mediated immune responses are crucial in controlling intracellular pathogen infection. Upon antigen encounter, T cells undergo a prolific expansion, creating a large population of effector cells. This robust population then dramatically contracts, leaving a small subset of memory T cells capable of providing more immediate protection upon reinfection with the same antigen. Our long-term research goal is to define the roles of T-cell factor 1 (TCF1) throughout T cell development. Within the scope of my project, our goal is to determine the role of TCF1 in CD4 T cell differentiation, as well as CD4 and CD8 T cell memory generation.
 

Publications
He B, Xing S, Chen C, Gao P, Teng L, Shan Q, Gullicksrud JA, Martin MD, Yu S, Harty JT, Badovinac VP, Tan K, Xue HH. CD8(+) T Cells Utilize Highly Dynamic Enhancer Repertoires and Regulatory Circuitry in Response to Infections. Immunity. 2016 Dec 20;45(6):1341-1354. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2016.11.009. PubMed PMID: 27986453; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5304416.

Choi YS, Gullicksrud JA, Xing S, Zeng Z, Shan Q, Li F, Love PE, Peng W, Xue HH, Crotty S. LEF-1 and TCF-1 orchestrate T(FH) differentiation by regulating differentiation circuits upstream of the transcriptional repressor Bcl6. Nat Immunol. 2015 Sep;16(9):980-90. doi: 10.1038/ni.3226. Epub 2015 Jul 27. PubMed PMID: 26214741; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4545301.

Honors and Awards

• Presidential Graduate Research Fellowship