Dr. Dekai Zhang’s laboratory has been studying innate immunity by identifying novel pattern-recognized receptors (PRRs) and determining their functional mechanism in different diseases. We have developed comprehensive approaches to study how innate receptors recognize their ligands to activate specific signaling pathways and trigger unique, innate immune responses in various infectious diseases and cancers. We are particularly interested in one family of PRRs, the Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which play a critical role in initiating innate immune responses. We wish to understand the mechanisms by which TLRs recognize different pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). We have been working on determining the specific regulatory mechanisms of TLR signal pathways that lead to NF-kB and IFN activation in different diseases. Recently our lab has been focusing on some translation research: 1) to discover a new strategy by modulating immune response against infectious diseases; 2) to develop a novel strategy to treat and prevent cancer by studying the essential links between infection, inflammation, and cancer.
