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Professor of B Cell Immunology
Research area
B Cell Immunology.
Research programme
Research summary
B cells are white blood cells that roam the body ready to react if they brush up against something harmful. They make antibodies that protect our bodies from viral or bacterial infection. When a B cell spots a pathogen, it is triggered to multiply in order to produce enough antibodies to render the invader harmless. However, B cells can also overreact and cause autoimmune disease, allergy or lymphoma.
The Tolar Lab study all aspects of B cell triggering, which is the process by which B cells recognise invaders, using a range of approaches, such as immunology, genetics, whole-genome CRISPR screening, imaging, biophysics and nanotechnology, to provide an understanding of the molecular processes by which B cells bind foreign materials and mediate immune protection. Ideas from these studies inform the development of next-generation vaccines.
The Tolar Lab also investigate the genes and pathways involved in human B cell diseases to discover targets to eliminate diseased B cells such as in allergy and lymphoma.
Publications