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This lab investigates how steroid hormones regulate T lymphocyte development, function, and immune responses in both health and disease. By studying how steroids act at the level of cells, tissues, and whole organisms, the lab aims to uncover how these signals shape immune outcomes and how they can be therapeutically targeted to treat diseases such as cancer and autoimmunity.
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Our principal investigator is Dr. Matthew Taves.
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Key research areas include:
- Tissue- and cell-specific steroid signaling, particularly local glucocorticoid production in the thymus and tumors, and how it shapes immune cell fate.
- Steroid modulation of T cell development and antigen receptor selection in the thymus, and how stress and hormones influence immune tolerance and pathogen recognition.
- The role of glucocorticoids in shaping the tumor microenvironment, including suppression of CD8⁺ T cells and activation of regulatory T cells.
- Development and application of novel biosensors and live-cell imaging tools to detect and quantify steroid receptor signaling at the single-cell level.