The Moran Lab is broadly interested in understanding the microenvironmental cues that promote T cell function and failure. In particular, we aim to understand how steroid hormones such as androgens regulate T cell responses in sites of inflammation. We exploit the the clinical management of advanced prostate cancer to understand how androgens shape adaptive immune responses. These studies investigate how androgen directly suppresses anti-tumor immunity in a cell intrinsic and extrinsic mechanism.
The lab utilizes a variety of tools to interrogate fundamental and translational questions. These include human immunology, transgenic and chimeric mouse models, in vivo tumor modeling, in vitro cellular assays, CRISPR-mediated gene deletion, monoclonal antibodies as cancer therapeutics, cellular bioenergetics analysis, single cell ‘omics studies, flow sorting, and cytometry. Using these tools, we shed light on the function/dysfunction of T cells in tumor bearing hosts and seek to manipulate the immune response with immune-modulating agents.
The Moran Lab believes deeply in the power of team science. We believe that discovery is often at the intersection of disciplines; a space that cannot be occupied by a single individual or expertise but requires the collaboration of distinct thinking. The work proposed will leverage the synergy and discovery that occurs when clinicians bring forth clinical data and a need for better treatment options, and then we, as immunologists, cell biologists, computational scientists, and epigeneticists, dig into the nuances of biological systems to uncover novel mechanisms of action.
The Moran Lab is hiring (as of May 2023) with 3-yr fully funded research projects!
Disclaimer: Contents are not official university policy and should be considered personal opinion