PI: Hisse Martien van Santen (link to CV)

Institution: Centro Biologia Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC/UAM Madrid, ES

Synopsis of research lines:
The van Santen group has a long standing interest in understanding how the T cell Receptor (TCR), despite its low affinity for its Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) ligands, provides T cells with very high sensitivity and how it is capable of transmitting information on the quality of interaction with its ligand, in order to induce the correct T cell response. We use transgenic and gene-targeted mouse models, in vivo and in vitro T cell activation assays, biochemistry and electron microscopy to address these questions. Over the last years we have focused on understanding how the organization of the TCR into nanoclusters affects the antigen sensitivity of the T cells of naïve and memory T cells and the role of TCR nanoclusters in early T cell development in the thymus.

Website: http://www.cbm.uam.es/vansanten-researchgroup

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