Thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been discovered in mammalian transcriptomes. LncRNAs act through a multitude of mechanisms affecting transcription and co- and post-transcriptional mRNA processing in a cell. Often these effects are mediated through RNA/protein interactions. Studies, including from our group, have identified several lncRNA regulators of immune responses. Critically, lncRNAs display poor conservation between humans and mice, meaning that studying them in human cells can reveal fundamental unique features relevant to disease that cannot be explored in mouse models. This is exactly the point this project will address. The central hypothesis of the project is that the non-coding transcriptome is a unique source of human-specific immune regulators. The project will take advantage of synergies between the Lagos and Boucher groups and study the function of lncRNAs in human immune cells, with a primary focus on human T cells. The student will employ established differentiation protocols and explore the effect of perturbing lncRNAs of interest and their interacting partners on T cell activation and effector functions. In addition to wet lab experiments, the student will be trained in analysis of large datasets, including transcriptomics. Overall, discoveries in this project will advance our molecular understanding of immune cell function and reveal novel ways that can be exploited therapeutically to suppress or enhance T cell function. This will align with a timely surge in studies addressing unique features of the human immune system and a multitude of immunotherapeutic approaches relevant to infectious and non-communicable diseases.
The York Biomedical Research Institute at the University of York is committed to recruiting extraordinary future scientists regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, religion/belief, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, or career pathway to date. We understand that commitment and excellence can be shown in many ways and have built our recruitment process to reflect this. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, particularly those underrepresented in science, who have curiosity, creativity and a drive to learn new skills.
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