Jenny E. Gumperz, Ph.D.

Research

My lab studies a population of regulatory T lymphocytes called NKT cells. Whereas most T cells recognize peptide antigens that derive from non-self proteins and are presented at the cell surface by MHC molecules, NKT cells are activated by lipid and glycolipid antigens presented by CD1d molecules. What particularly interests us about NKT cells is that they can become activated by self lipids, which means that they can perform functions even when there is no infectious challenge. The central focus of my lab is to understand how this autoreactivity contributes to immune regulation.