Abstract: T-cell immune responses are initiated by antigen and promoted by a range of costimulatory signals. These signals control multiple aspects of immune cell behaviour including cell activation, proliferation, survival and differentiation. Regulation of T-cell response kinetics through the manipulation of the strength and availability of inhibitory and stimulatory signals represents an important emerging therapeutic strategy. Nevertheless, how T-cells integrate alternative signal combinations to make decisions affecting tolerance and response strength still poses a significant theoretical challenge.
Dr Marchingo's work spans from single cells to the population immune response, using in vitro, in vivo and in silico techniques to elucidate the calculus of T cell decision-making. In particular, her work focuses on how different signal combinations control T cell division number and the magnitude of the CD8+ T cell response. She will present a quantitative framework of T cell signal integration that can predict how different signals combine to program robust immunity.