Sarah Duquette (MANALIS LAB)

Bimodal Cell Mass Distribution Separates CD8+ T Cells into Two Types with Divergent Differentiation Dynamics

It is well known that T cell heterogeneity is critical in mounting a strong adaptive immune response. Using the lab’s suspended microchannel resonator (SMR) technology, we have observed two subpopulations in naïve CD8+ T cells by buoyant mass that cannot be distinguished by cell surface markers or other conventional physical measurements. In this study we aim to characterize these two subpopulations and identify their distinct differentiation dynamics by combining a novel cell sorting system with downstream functional assays.

Tyler Dao (MANALIS & SHALEK LABS)

Elucidating the Cellular and Molecular Basis of Anti-tumor Peptide Alarm Therapy

After primary infection, antigen-specific resident memory T cells (Trm) are stably maintained at sites of infection for local immunosurveillance, demonstrated across tissues and extending to solid tumors. Peptide alarm therapy (PAT) leverages Trm reactivation via synthetic cognate peptides to trigger rapid, potent immune activation and induce tumor clearance. However, the mechanism driving this response remains uncharacterized. To study cellular responses in PAT, we use scRNA-seq to profile murine melanoma tumors following reactivation to map how detection of cognate peptides by Trm influence their cell state and the tumor microenvironment.