Structure-Function studies of novel IL-17R family members

Description of projects available to graduate students:
The IL-17 receptor is the founding member of a unique subclass of cytokine receptors (Gaffen, Nature Reviews Immunology, 2009). One approach that the Gaffen lab takes to understanding the IL-17R family is to perform molecular deletion and mutation analyses of IL-17R subunits to determine subdomains important for signal transduction. In this project, you will participate in studies of poorly understood IL-17R subunits (e.g., IL-17RE) to define downstream signaling events and identify proteins that associate with specific regions of the receptor. References: Maitra et al. PNAS 2007; Onishi et al J Biol Chem 2010; Ho et al. J Immunol 2010; Gaffen Nature Reviews Immunol 2009

Techniques graduate student will learn:
cell culture, recombinant DNA engineering, transfection and expression of mutant receptors, flow cytometry, western blotting, ELISA, real time PCR, immunoprecipitation, microscopy, and other techniques as required for the specific project.