4 Year Wellcome Trust PhD Programme: Regulation B cell function by MAPK signalling

The production of high affinity antibodies targeted against pathogens by B cells is a critical component of adaptive immunity. Tight control of B cells is however important as the production of auto-reactive antibodies underlies the development of many autoimmune diseases. Following activation, naïve B cells undergo antibody class switching to allow the production of IgG, IgE or IgA. This project will focus on the roles that MAPK signalling play in this process. Several MAPK kinase cascades are active in B cells, including the ERK1/2 pathway. As inhibition of ERK1/2 blocks class switching in ex vivo B cells, the project will use genetic models of kinases and transcription factors downstream of ERK1/2 to establish the mechanism by which this signalling cascade regulates antibody class switching production and explore what the consequence of blocking these pathways would be on the development of autoimmunity.