Schenkel Laboratory

The Schenkel Lab uses genetically engineered mouse models of lung cancer to understand the intersection of T cell migration and dysfunction. T cells are products of their environment, and are heavily influenced by many factors, including interactions with both immune and non-immune cells, local cytokine gradients, nutrient availability, and stimulation by cognate peptide/MHC class I complexes. We seek to understand the lineage relationships between T cells in tumor draining lymphoid tissue and tumor lesions, and how T cells change during their journey from one location to another. We will pursue these research directions using multiparameter flow cytometry, single cell RNA-sequencing, immunofluorescence microscopy, and temporal approaches to identify when T cells have migrated into the tumor microenvironment. Our future directions will try to extend these studies into the context of metastasis, and to translate our findings into human disease.