Award
NIH Reporter #5F30GM159436-02
Structural Investigation of the Central Components of the CD4+ T Cell Immunological Synapse
Recipient
California Institute of Technology
Award Amount
$55,114.00
Ceiling
$55,114.00
Awarded
August 27, 2026
Identifier
5F30GM159436-02
The award funds a project at California Institute of Technology to study the molecular structure of T cell receptor complexes using advanced cryo-EM techniques, aiming to enhance understanding of immune system activation and inform disease treatment strategies.
Description
This project will visualize the T cell receptor, CD4 coreceptor, and peptide-MHC bound together in molecular detail to provide new insights into understanding and modulating the immune system. It aims to determine the structure of pMHCII engaged with full-length TCR-CD3 and CD4 using cryo-electron microscopy and tomography, leveraging engineered enveloped virus-like particles to study membrane-anchored complexes in a native environment. The research will investigate CD4 variants affecting binding affinity or kinase Lck recruitment to understand T cell engagement with pMHCII and inform future immunomodulation strategies.