Research
Our lab studies the role of innate immune players like Natural Killer cells (NK cells),Monocytes and T cells in cancer and autoimmunity. Our lab is specifically interested in exploring the effect of the tumor microenvironment on functionality of NK cells. We study the effect of factors like hypoxia and extracellular matrix on NK cell cytotoxicity and phenotype. We perform these studies using NK cell lines and primary NK cells in-vitro cytotoxicity assays using renal cell carcinoma cell lines and colorectal cancer cell lines as targets. In another project, we study the effect of oncolytic reovirus on immune cells and its effect on anti- tumor cytotoxicity.
In addition, we study the role of HIF-1a in maintaining the Th17/ Treg balance in the K/BxN mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis.
The lab specializes in-vivo mouse models of autoimmunity and cancer, flow cytometry and in-vitro immunological assays.
The lab is well equipped with a ARIA II cell sorter, Cytoflex flow cytometer , Xcelligence RTCA system and Lonza nuclefector to carryout the above studies.
