Our major interest is in defining the pathways of T cell and B cell differentiation and identifying factors that regulate such development. In particular we have been interested in developing in vitro assays in which the details of differentiation can be determined and in vivo assays in which the events can be visualized.

We have studied in detail the differentiation of naive cells into primary effectors, including determining the factors that promote their activation and proliferation and determine what cytokines they will produce. We are now focusing on determining how effector expansion and development of long lived resting memory are regulated and what determines memory cell persistence. Of particular interest are the factors that promote or block the programmed cell death of effectors by apoptosis that is responsible for curtailing responses.

We are determining how memory T cells can contribute to immunity to influenza. We also are investigating how and why immunity is compromised with aging and exploring adjuvants that augment the response of aged T cells.