Johan Sandberg

Innate and adaptive immune mechanisms work together to contain viral and bacterial infections. We investigate basic aspects of cell-mediated immunity as well as the immunopathogenesis of such infections. We do this with a basis in our solid understanding of fundamental immunology that we apply towards patient-based research and develop into translational approaches. The majority of T lymphocytes carry diverse T cell receptors (TCRs) that display classical MHC-restriction. However, the T cell compartment also includes invariant T cell subsets that recognize antigens presented by non-classical MHC-like molecules. Several of these invariant T cell subsets are evolutionarily conserved, display innate-like characteristics, and play important roles in immune control of pathogens. The group is particularly interested in the role of adaptive T cell responses mediated by CD8 T cells, and in the role that unconventional innate-like T cells such as the invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells and mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells play in host defense.

Our key study on MAIT cell adaptation in human tissues, published in Science Immunology in 2024, accessible full text here:

Human MAIT cell tissue adaptation and specialization (Science Immunology, Sept 2024)