Research Interests

Bordetella vaccines

Current alum-adjuvanted acellular vaccines (aPV) against the human pathogen B. pertussis provide only short-term protection against infection. An active area of investigation in the field is the development of second-generation acellular vaccines that improve the longevity of protection. We are studying the novel adjuvant, Bordetella Colonization Factor A (BcfA), to understand the molecular mechanisms by which BcfA remodels alum-induced immune responses and increases aPV efficacy and the longevity of protection. Our long-term goal is to use BcfA as an adjuvant to improve cellular immune responses to other respiratory pathogens and to cancer antigens.

Cancer immunology

Androgen ablation (AA) is the first-line therapy for advanced prostate cancer. We showed that the primary consequence of AA is the amplification of inhibitory innate and adaptive immune cell populations that support the development of castration-resistant disease. We use endogenous and transplanted murine prostate cancer models to test therapeutic strategies that remodel the tumor-promoting immune environment created by AA, and inhibit CRPC growth and metastasis.​ 

Publications