Our research
Our research interest is focused on a subset of immune cells ideally located at the crossroad between innate and adaptive immunity: unconventional T cells (UTC). Over the last two decades, a non-redundant role for UTC has been demonstrated in countless physiological and pathological contexts, generating a growing interest in their potential therapeutic application. However, several fundamental aspects of UTC biology and function remain elusive.
One of our research questions stems from our findings on a poorly characterized UTC population (DNT⍺β cells) displaying a prominent antitumor activity in preclinical models (Ponzetta et al, Cell 2019). As the lineage-defining hallmarks of DNT⍺β cells in the human setting are unknown, our team is dissecting human DNT⍺β composition and behavior from multiple perspectives, including their developmental trajectory, tissue distribution and functional properties.
In parallel, our team is evaluating the functional implications and the translational value of the UTC compartment in the tumor setting, and specifically in gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEAC). GEAC is a heterogeneous disease with low survival ra