Michelle Krogsgaard, PhD

The goal of the Krogsgaard laboratory is to understand the molecular and cellular events that contribute to T-cell sensitivity to ‘self’ (cancer) antigens. To accomplish this we employ advanced and highly innovative methods that combine state-of-the-art biophysical methods for characterizing protein-protein interactions e.g. surface plasmon resonance (SPR), biomembrane force probe X-ray crystallography, infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy with imaging methods (single molecule imaging and FRET) and transgenic TCR technologies which makes our research highly interdisciplinary in its nature. Our research is important not only for understanding the activation of signaling pathways important for T cell function but also for the purpose of modulating signaling through the TCR pharmacologically in new and innovative approaches that can be applied to immunotherapy approaches. This is with the purpose of increasing the sensitivity of T-cells in patients with cancer or HIV or decreasing the sensitivity in patients with autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis or diabetes). Supported by the Pew Trust, Cancer Research Institute (CRI), The Arthritis Foundation; New York Chapter, American Cancer Society (ACS), PS-ON/NCI/NIH and NIGMS/NIH.