Role of lysosomes in controlling immune function

The nutrient sensing and quality control linked organelles called lysosomes are best known to immunologists due to their roles in antigen presentation (dendritic cells) and in the facilitation of pathogen elimination (macrophages). Their role in the control of immunity is further recognized that inhibition of lysosomal function can promote anti-inflammatory effects by preventing the degradation of glucocorticoid receptors and conversely that impaired lysosome function in genetic lysosome storage diseases can blunt the number and function of natural killer cells. The Platt laboratory (Dept. of Pharmacology, Univ. of Oxford) investigates immune function in lysosome storage disease and the Sack laboratory (NHLBI, NIH) explores the molecular machinery controlling lysosomal homeostasis and their roles in immunity. An integrated project between the two labs, in collaboration with an NIH OxCam Scholar would be designed to enable the pursuit of an Ph.D. studying the role of lysosomes in controlling immune function.

*This project is available for the 2021 Oxford-NIH Pilot Programme*