Gwack Lab
Principal Investigator: Yousang Gwack
Institution: University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
Primary Subfield: Immunology
Recruitment Status: Inquire for rotation/fellowship opportunities
Research Focus
PROJECT SUMMARY Genetic and environmental factors determine individuals’ susceptibility to autoimmunity. Genome-wide association studies of human subjects provide valuable information; however, the interpretation of these results is complex due to intrinsic and extrinsic variations. This proposal aims to uncover the genetic basis underlying the intrinsic propensity of T cells towards autoimmunity using a hybrid mouse system with minimum extrinsic variations and to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying these genetic differences. We performed a forward genetics screen using a hybrid mouse diversity panel of 107 common and recombinant inbred strains to examine T cell propensity. We have uncovered four significant genetic loci associated with expression of proinflammatory cytokines. A targeted screen using deletion of candidate genes within these loci uncovered a mitochondrial cristae morphology regulator, TMEM11, as a genetic determinant of the Th1 response. Tmem11- /- mice show normal development and homeostasis of T cells. However, while T cell differentiation was not affected, selective effector functions of Th1 cells, including expression of IFNg, were impaired due to the l…
Active NIH Awards
- 5R01AI181072-02: Mechanistic link between mitochondrial cristae integrity and Th1 responses (2026)
- 1R21AI201639-01: Timing-dependent role of CRAC channels in Th17 metabolism and effector function (2026)
- 1R01AI181072-01A1: Mechanistic link between mitochondrial cristae integrity and Th1 responses (2025)
- 5R01AI146615-05: Mechanism underlying regulation of Ca2+ signaling in local effector T cells (2024)
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