Determination of class II peptide-MHC repertoires and recognition via large yeast-displayed libraries

T cells occupy essential roles throughout the immune system to prevent and limit disease. As such, breakdowns in their function and recognition underlie poor clinical outcomes across diverse maladies including pathogen infection, cancer, autoimmunity, allergies, and transplant rejection. Yet, when properly directed, T cells drive potent protective and therapeutic responses in prophylactic vaccinations and novel immunotherapies. Therefore, understanding and harnessing T cell function and recognition is of great importance to improving patient care and addressing currently unmet clinical needs. The function and recognition of T cells are driven through their T cell receptors (TCRs), which bind with great specificity to peptide-MHCs (pMHCs), Major Histocompatibility Complex proteins displaying tissue- and disease-specific peptide antigens derived from their host cell or its surroundings.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctoral

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biological Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• Rappazzo, Charles Garrett.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Michael E. Birnbaum.

• Biological Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/127887

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/127887