B cell biology and immunological disease
The James lab is interested in uncovering biochemical mechanisms that contribute to drug resistance and to immunological disease. To do so, we investigate many features of protein behavior including their impact on differentiation, their interactions with other molecules and whether mutation regulates these processes. The following are active interests of the lab:
Leveraging our ability to genetically engineer primary human B cells to create protein-producing cell therapies and to understand the genetic events that promote differentiation into long-lived antibody secreting cells.
B cell differentiation
Determining which signaling events are required for resistance to targeted therapies and developing therapeutic strategies to block these events.
Drug resistance in lymphoma
Mapping the effects of each possible variant of genes involved in primary immune deficiency by combining multiplexed genome editing, signaling assays and high throughput DNA sequencing. In the course of these studies, we hope to create look-up tables that can be used by clinicians to help interpret sequencing data from patients.
Variant function in immune disease