The goal of our research is to better understand mechanisms of sensing and repair during diseases like cancer, infections, and neurodegenerative disorders.
During infection, cancer, or physiological changes, the membranes of our cells can be damaged. Cells evolved to respond to those changes using a range of specialized adaptive immune responses. By understanding those mechanisms, we can modify cells to boost the immune system and restore a targeted and efficient response.
Our lab uses high-throughput screening methods and cutting-edge technologies like VR and AI to study cell response mechanisms. We observe cellular changes using high-capacity microscopes and analyze those changes through machine learning.
Caroline Stefani, PhD
Research Projects
Immunotherapy and tumor cell resilience
Featured Publications
Autophagy Induced by Toll-like Receptor Ligands Regulates Antigen Extraction and Presentation by B Cells.
MHC class II transactivator CIITA induces cell resistance to Ebola virus and SARS-like coronaviruses.
ConfocalVR: Immersive Visualization for Confocal Microscopy.
αv Integrins combine with LC3 and atg5 to regulate Toll-like receptor signalling in B cells.
Revolutionary Microscope to Fuel Immunology Breakthroughs
Using AI and VR to Advance Research
Caroline Stefani, PhD, became fascinated with the immune system while pursuing her doctorate in microbiology. She loved using imaging tools to examine the worlds of cells and bacteria. But one thing frustrated her.
Using Virtual Reality to See Inside Cells
In 2016, two of BRI's information technology experts Garrett Wright and Tom Skillman had a conversation that sparked a novel question: Could virtual reality (VR) headsets let scientists step inside cells and view them in greater detail than ever before?
Researchers zoom in on new ways to view biomolecules in pathogens
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