The Kwok Lab develops and applies advanced tools to study antigen-specific T cells, rare immune cells that play central roles in infection, vaccination, allergy, autoimmunity and cancer. A major focus of the lab is tetramer technology, which allows researchers to directly identify and analyze T cells that recognize specific targets.
Through BRI’s Protein and Tetramer Core Lab, the team produces HLA class II tetramer reagents for more than 30 alleles, enabling studies of human CD4+ T cell responses across diverse populations. The lab also develops next-generation tetramer technologies, including reagents compatible with mass cytometry and single-cell analysis.
By combining epitope discovery, tetramer-based assays, and deep immune profiling, the Kwok Lab investigates how T cells contribute to protective immune responses and immune-mediated diseases. This work generates insights that support the development of improved vaccines, diagnostics, and precision therapies across a range of immune-mediated conditions.
Bill Kwok, PhD
Lab Members
Cynthia Cousens-Jacobs
Alexandra Johansson
Research Projects
Allergen-Specific CD4+ T Cells in Allergy and Immunotherapy
The Kwok Lab uses class II tetramer reagents to study allergen-specific CD4+ T cells and understand how these cells change during immunotherapy.
CD4+ and CD8+ T Cell Responses to Shingrix Vaccination
The Kwok Lab studies CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses following Shingrix vaccination to better understand how the vaccine provides long-lasting protection against shingles.
DNA-Barcoded HLA Class II Tetramers
The Kwok Lab is developing DNA-barcoded HLA class II tetramers to analyze the specificity, TCR clonotypes, surface protein expression, and gene expression profiles of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells at single-cell resolution.
Autoreactive CD4+ T Cells in Type 1 Diabetes
The Kwok Lab uses second-generation tetramer reagents to detect and characterize autoreactive CD4+ T cells during type 1 diabetes immunotherapy.
Featured Publications
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Differential effects of subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy on timothy grass-specific TH2 CD4+ T-cell subsets
J Allergy Clin ImmunolHannah A DeBerg, Carolyn H Baloh, Quinn DeGottardi, Jue Hou, Alexandra Johansson, Evan Newell, Tanya M Laidlaw, Srinath Sanda, Mohamed Shamji, Stephen Durham, Alkis Togias, William W Kwok -
Longitudinal single cell profiling of epitope specific memory CD4+ T cell responses to recombinant zoster vaccine
Nature CommunicationsXiaomin Wen, Alex K Hu, Emily S Ford, David M Koelle, William W Kwok, +Presnell SR -
Ara h 2105-124-Specific TH2A Cells Drive Peanut Allergy in DRB1*15:01 Individuals: A Detailed Epitope Analysis
Clinical and Experimental AllergyRebecca A Gomez, Jue Hou, Vivian H Gersuk, I-Ting Chow, Mary L Farrington, David Robinson, William W Kwok
Innovation Fund Spotlight: Pioneering a New Generation of Tetramers
In the late 1990s, Bill Kwok, PhD, pioneered MHC Class II tetramers, a game-changing tool in immunology research. Tetramers have fueled countless research breakthroughs because they enable scientists to find extremely rare cells and extract them to study in precise detail.
New Technology Opens the Door to Understanding the Earliest Stages of T1D
Eddie James, PhD, earned a new grant to explore early cell changes that lead to T1D, using a new tool pioneered at BRI.
Using Your Own Cells to Fight Autoimmune Disease
For nearly 20 years, Dr. Buckner has been working to find a more targeted approach with fewer side effects. And she’s among a handful of scientists pursuing an intriguing idea: Can we use gene editing to change cells that cause disease into cells that protect you from disease?
News
CD4 Memory T Cells may be Responsible for High Efficacy of Shingles Vaccine
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Science in Seattle: Characterizing T Cell Responses to Enzymatically Modified Beta Cell Neo-Epitopes
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