Research focus
B-cell responses are a critical component for the protection against infections provided by vaccines. The activation of B cells is, however, highly regulated, to make sure the body does not mount immune responses to self-antigens, or develop uncontrollable cell division, which could lead to cancer.
To generate vaccines that elicit protective and long-lasting immune responses against pathogens such as HIV-1, influenza, and other emerging viruses, we use genetically modified mouse models with B cells expressing human antibodies that enable us to define the trajectory and quality of antigen-specific B cells after immunization.
We are also testing novel approaches for vaccine design, such as using anti-idiotypic antibodies to stimulate a pathogen-specific B cell response.
Collectively, our research aims to study B cell responses on the molecular and cellular levels to provide information on B cell regulation that can help develop new vaccines against HIV-1 as well as other genetically variable- and emerging pathogens.