Innate Immunity

BIOGRAPHY

ACADEMIC POSITION:
• Associate Staff, Department of Immunology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
• Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University

EDUCATION:
• 2000 Doctorate Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
• 1994 Medical School, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul Korea

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Homeostatic regulation of T lymphocytes is a central mechanism by which the immune system ensures its diversity and functionality. T cell deficiency triggers a proliferative response of T cells that remain within such conditions or that are adoptively transferred into such environments (which is often referred to as homeostatic proliferation or endogenous proliferation). The proliferation is often associated with a differentiation process that generates memory T cells. The resulting memory T cells are thought to play a critical role in the regulation of peripheral homeostasis as well as in the protection against invading pathogens.

There is substantial evidence suggesting that lymphopenia induced immune activation may result in autoimmunity, multiorgan immunopathology, as well as rejection of solid organ transplants. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms regulating T cell proliferation in lymphopenic conditions has fundamental biological importance. Our study aims at defining the mechanisms by which T cell proliferation/differentiation processes are induced and regulated.