College Research Associates Kerrie McNally and Tiphaine Douanne are combining their expertise to gain new insights into the role of protein trafficking in T cells. Kerrie, based at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, and Tiphaine, of the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, will be working together during their King's project to elucidate some of the secrets of our cells.
Kerrie studies the mechanism of protein trafficking, the highly regulated process by which proteins are delivered to the right place at the right time in the cell. Tiphaine works on “killer” T lymphocytes, the small cells of our immune system that patrol our bodies, recognising and destroying virally infected and cancerous cells.
Combining their expertise, they hope to gain new insights into the role of protein trafficking in T cell killing. This is particularly important in the development of immunotherapies focussed on harnessing the killing potential of these cells against cancer.
