How do adaptive and innate receptor signals interact in B cells?
The global human population is developing an increasing need for new and better vaccines, to combat both infectious and malignant disease. A limiting factor in human vaccine development has been the narrow selection of safe adjuvants, to increase the effectiveness of vaccines, and stimulate effective responses with fewer immunizations. Scientists have made tremendous advances in understanding how the components of adjuvants, distinct pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), trigger specific receptors of the innate immune system. Of particular interest are ligands for receptors that recognize special features of viral or bacterial nucleic acids, as these ligands can be readily produced synthetically, without the safety concerns associated with purifying substances from large quantities of infectious microbes. This basic immunology project focuses on gaining a more complete understanding of how receptors for microbial nucleic acids interact with receptors of the adaptive immune sy
