Recent Research

» Our most recent publication addresses how signal integration from activating and inhibitory receptors leads to an appropriate effector response at individual cell-cell interactions. We specifically address this for human Natural Killer (NK) cells. We demonstrated that ligation of activating NK receptor NKG2D triggers a symmetrical spreading response and establishes a stop signal to halt NK migration. In contrast, NK cells form a migratory asymmetrical ‘kinapse’ following engagement of LFA-1. Crucially, co-ligation of inhibitory receptors breaks the symmetry of NKG2D-mediated spreading and reverts NK cells to the migratory configuration. Thus, inhibitory receptors provide a reverse-stop signal that prevents the cytolytic response by reducing the dwell time of NK cells on target cells. By exposing NK cells to micropatterned surfaces in which activating and inhibitory signals are segregated on a micrometer-scale, we also found that signals are locally and continually integrated during the process of spreading, which may be important in preventing misdirection of a cytolytic response. Click for more details.

» In a recent article for Nat. Rev. Immunol., I review the molecular and cellular processes that influence the duration of intercellular contacts, including integrin activation and dynamic changes in membrane morphology. I discuss how these processes can be regulated, for example by the balance of activating and inhibitory receptor signals, and how they can establish the appropriate outcome for individual cell-cell interactions. Click for more details.

» In a recent paper, in collaboration with ex-postdoctoral fellow Bjorn Onfelt, establishes a new technique for imaging sub-micron membrane ruffling in live cells, that we use to image the NK cell docking structure. Click for more details.

» We have recently published a paper that demonstrates how using optical tweezers can dramatically improve the resolution at which intercellular synapses can be imaged. Click for more details.