Unconventional T cells in human pathology – Andrea Ponzetta team

The team is exploring the heterogeneity and the functional potential of unconventional T cells in human pathology. Our research interest is focused on a subset of immune cells that are at the crossroad between innate and adaptive immunity: unconventional T cells (UTC).

Four group members from Ponzetta Team.

Our research

Our research interest is focused on a subset of immune cells ideally located at the crossroad between innate and adaptive immunity: unconventional T cells (UTC). Over the last two decades, a non-redundant role for UTC has been demonstrated in countless physiological and pathological contexts, generating a growing interest in their potential therapeutic application. However, several fundamental aspects of UTC biology and function remain elusive.

One of our research questions stems from our findings on a poorly characterized UTC population (DNT⍺β cells) displaying a prominent antitumor activity in preclinical models (Ponzetta et al, Cell 2019). As the lineage-defining hallmarks of DNT⍺β cells in the human setting are unknown, our team is dissecting human DNT⍺β composition and behavior from multiple perspectives, including their developmental trajectory, tissue distribution and functional properties.

In parallel, our team is evaluating the functional implications and the translational value of the UTC compartment in the tumor setting, and specifically in gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEAC). GEAC is a heterogeneous disease with low survival rate and increasing incidence in western countries, where conventional therapy has limited efficacy. Our objective is to use immune parameters to improve the current patient classification and find new therapeutic targets, as a fundamental step towards personalized treatment. We are particularly interested in understanding the immunological implications of peritoneal carcinomatosis, a condition associated with dismal prognosis and poor quality of life and are involved in clinical trials aimed at improving treatment efficacy in this patient group.

In our team we use and integrate a range of single cell technologies, including flow cytometry, single cell genomics and highly multiplexed spatial protein profiling, and we are always looking for new analytical pipelines to face the challenge of big data in immunology.

Collaborations

Our research at the Center of Infectious Medicine benefits from the collaboration with several research units within and outside KI and is closely connected with our clinical collaborators at the Karolinska University Hospital. Below are some of the current collaborators:

Open positions

We always want to get in touch with talented potential co-workers with questions on unconventional T cells and tumor immunology. If you are interested in joining our team, please contact the Team Leader andrea.ponzetta@ki.se

Publications

Selected publications

Funding

We are grateful for the support of:

  • Cancerfonden
  • Sjöbergstiftelse
  • Radiumhemmet Forskningsfonder
  • KID-Funding
  • Åke Olsson Foundation
  • Clas Groschinsky Foundation
  • Vetenskapsrådet
  • Karolinska Institutet
  • CIMED
  • Jonas Söderquist Scholarship