Our Research
The development, maintenance and proper function of immune cells is essential for the survival of mammals in a pathogen-ridden environment. Their absence results in inherited or acquired immunodeficiency and failure to control dysregulated cell growth, leading to cancer.
Our research focus is on airway immunity as regulated by the interleukin-7 (IL-7)-related cytokines, IL-7 and Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP). IL-7 is an essential growth factor for lymphocytes. Defects in IL-7 or its deregulation cause immunodeficiency and lymphomas respectively. TSLP is a barrier integrity cytokine or alarmin, that is also implicated in barrier repair and atopic diseases such as asthma. We are interested in how these and other immune regulators shape the airway immune response to pathogens such as Influenza/A and to lung cancer. We focus on CD8 and CD4 T cell effector and memory responses, as well as the innate lymphoid cell type 2 (ILC2) contribution in these contexts. Our long-term goal is to use genetic models of IL-7 and TSLP function to understand the basic mechanisms that contribute to these diseases and to formulate novel therapeutic strategies.
Our Projects
IL-7 in Adaptive Response to Lung Viral Infections
The qualitative and quantitative response to airway pathogens is modulated by cytokines. We established a role for IL-7 in effector T cell responses and wish to unravel how this occurs in the context of immunity to Influenza/A.
IL-7 in the Regulation of Innate Lymphoid Cell Development and Function
The IL-7Ralpha subunit (CD127) is a marker of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs). Both IL-7 and TSLP signal through this subunit. We explore when and how IL-7 and TSLP govern ILC2 development in the fetus to adult, and how they shape mature ILC2 function.
IL-7 Receptor Regulation by RNA Regulators
The expression of IL-7Ralpha is dynamically controlled in T cells, B cell progenitors and ILCs. The discovery of programmed ribosome frameshift motifs in the transcript has opened up intriguing questions about translational control of this and other cytokine receptors.
Mechanisms of Immune suppression in CD8 T Cell Response to Lung Cancer
Human lung cancer patients with high IL-7Ralpha expression have significantly higher survival. We are interested in determining the intersection between cytokine/chemokine responses with active immune surveillance.
Ph.D., University of Ottawa
Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, UCSF
1-604-822-0122
About Ninan Abraham
Academic
Principal Investigator and career academic since 2003 running a biomedical research lab and instructing graduate and undergraduate students. Focus on identifying and validating regulatory points in immune cell control with specific interest in airway immunity to pathogens and allergens, repair mechanisms and immune exhaustion in lung cancer.
Specialties
Cytokine receptor regulation of immune cells; host-pathogen (Influenza A) dynamics; airway immunity; innate lymphoid cells in tissue repair; genetic approaches / functional genomics.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Previous administrative role (Associate Dean EDI, Faculty of Science, 2018-2022) that included oversight of equity, diversity and inclusion issues for faculty members in Science. This included collection and analysis of equity and diversity data on recruitment and progress of faculty of 425+; interaction with counterparts in other Faculties, with AVP Equity and Inclusion and with Advisors to the Provost on Women and Gender Diverse faculty and Racialized faculty; guided faculty search committees on best practices and implicit, explicit and structural bias.
Meet the Team
The Abraham lab consists of PhD, MSc, and undergraduate students who are eager to learn more about IL-7 and its many roles in the immune system!
Current Opportunities
