The Laboratory of Lymphocyte Signalling and Development

Lymphocytes are cells of the immune system which circulate throughout the body searching for signs of infection. When lymphocytes encounter an infection they co-ordinate and mount a sophisticated defence to destroy the invading micro-organism. They are responsible for the generation of immunological “memory” which protects individuals from re-infection.

Lymphocytes are a subset of white blood cells and can be divided into three main categories:

Natural Killer (NK) cells, which mature in the bone marrow, play essential roles early in an infection;
T cells which develop in the thymus mediate cell-mediated immunity and help B cells generate antibodies;
and B cells, which develop in the bone marrow and mediate humoral immunity by secreting antibodies.

The laboratory carries out research to identify the molecular and biochemical mechanisms required for the development and function of lymphocytes. Decoding the signalling pathways regulating lymphocyte maturation and function is of interest to those wishing to improve vaccines, combat autoimmune disease, develop tumour immunotherapy or improve the efficiency of organ transplantation.

The Laboratory of Lymphocyte Signalling and Development is an interactive team, currently consisting of about 35 research workers, which uses a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the receptors and signals which regulate lymphocytes. We aim to understand how signalling events regulate the development of lymphocytes and immune responses. We study signalling pathways at the molecular level and, in parallel, determine how these pathways regulate the development and function of lymphocytes in physiological contexts.

• Key publications from the laboratory
• Translating the Laboratory's Research into Action