Beneficial Mutation in Adaptive and Innate Immunity

I have always been interested in mutations --- both how they occur and how they manifest. While mutations are often thought of in a negative context, mutations can also be protective and beneficial. Our recent work has helped shed light on two important cellular mutational mechanisms, one critical for the adaptive immune process of antibody gene diversification and the other for an innate cellular immune defense capable of restricting retroviruses such as HIV. DNA cytosine deamination an essential trigger of both processes. Please see our general research overview and the more specific interests of laboratory members for additional details.