Dr. Lee’s laboratory is currently studying the immune evasion strategies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative
agent of tuberculosis. In particular, studies of mycobacterial
modulation of host cell death mechanisms, as innate and adaptive
immunity defense against intracellular pathogens, are main focuses of
the laboratory.
Using a M. tuberculosis transposon mutant library, they screened pro-cell death mutants of M. tuberculosis and
found multiple genetic loci that are responsible for inhibiting
infection-induced cell death of macrophages. The Lee lab studies these
genes in relation to virulence and immunogenicity of pathogenic
mycobacteria, which will provide the tools necessary to investigate the
details of this host-pathogen interaction and provide new targets and
approaches to develop therapeutics and vaccines for prevention of
tuberculosis.
Search NCBI for Dr. Lee's publications