Redox is used by nature to regulate enzymatic activity, fight infection, transduce signals, and induce cell death. We are developing methods that enable us to study and manipulate biological redox with a focus on the innate immune system and programmed cell death.

We are using these tools to investigate how nature uses redox to regulate proteins and processes that arise during times of infection and during programmed cell death. We are particularly interested in how specific cysteine residues in transcription factors, proteases, and immune receptors are used to regulate their activity.

Our tools involve sensors for cellular redox couples, redox proteomics workflows, reporter cell lines, and functional genomics to uncover new redox-based regulatory mechanisms in cell biology.

Ultimately, we can use this knowledge to exploit redox-based vulnerabilities in cancer cells, or as means to modulate immune responses to treat autoimmune diseases or for cancer immunotherapy.