Our research project is focused on the host immune response to viral infections. Primarily, we use mouse models of influenza infection to understand how CD4 T cells are activated during infection and the mechanisms employed by these cells to help clear infectious virus. We also use a T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic (Tg) mouse model in which all of the CD4 T cells recognize a piece of the influenza virus and various “knock-out” mouse strains lacking important immune response genes to determine which type of CD4 T cell is important to provide protection against highly pathogenic influenza infections. Delineating the mechanisms whereby CD4 T cells provide protection to lethal influenza infections will further our understanding of CD4 T cell biology and provide a framework for developing novel vaccine formulations to combat highly pathogenic and emerging influenza virus strains
