Quantitative analysis of events in T cell immunological synapses

Speaker: Michael Dustin, Professor and Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow

Professor Dustin's talk will cover recent publications Full control of ligand positioning reveals spatial thresholds for T cell receptor triggering and Durable Interactions of T Cells with T Cell Receptor Stimuli in the Absence of a Stable Immunological Synapse

Dr Dustin’s research focuses on understanding the interactions between cells of the immune system-immunological synapses. He joined the University of Oxford in 2013 after working for 13 years at NYU School of Medicine and seven years at Washington University School of Medicine.

Dr Dustin’s work on fundamental mechanisms of immune cell function began when he was a graduate student with Timothy Springer at Harvard Medical School, where he described links between innate and adaptive immunity through regulation of adhesion molecules. His work at Washington University led to the first dynamic description of the immunological synapse, work recognized by a Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering.  

At NYUSOM, Dr Dustin continued innovative studies of the immunological synapse, including the discovery of synaptic ectosomes as a new messenger in the immune system, and has imaged the immunological synapse in vivo.  At the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology in Oxford, he has undertaken a program to develop therapies for autoimmune diseases.  He has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers and review articles.  He has also authored several patents, one of which led to the first “biologic” drug approved for the treatment of psoriasis. 

NIH has recognized his work through a Merit Award, presentation of the Director’s lecture and is an elected fellow of the European Molecular Biology Organization.  Dr Dustin currently holds a Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellowship focusing on Translation of the Immunological Synapse, a European Research Council Advanced grant on synaptic ectosomes and a Human Frontiers Science Program grant on antibody formation.