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Amnon Altman, Ph.D., and his team study T lymphocytes - white blood cells formed in the thymus that are essential in the body's fight against infection and disease. In particular, they study the biochemical changes that occur in T lymphocytes when an antigen (a substance that can cause an immune response) activates a binding site on the surface of the T cell, called the T Cell Antigen Receptor (TCR).

T cells mediate important functions in the immune system and are responsible for major types of immune defense responses against bacteria and viruses and against cancer. Because of the central importance to immunity that T cells play, aberrations in their activation process can prevent the immune system from being effective, or can lead to immunological diseases.

Dr. Altman and his laboratory have already identified several proteins critical to the proper activation of T cells. Notable among these is an enzyme called protein kinase C theta (PKCθ), which is essential for T cell activation and survival. Understanding this protein, and others like it, will help in the development of immune therapies, new treatments for autoimmune diseases, and increase the chances for long-term survival of organ transplants.

News & Events 

• 1/07/2010 - News Release & Media Coverage
  La Jolla Institute appoints Amnon Altman as Director of Scientific Affairs 

• BREAKTHROUGH: T Cell Activation
  Amnon Altman Ph.D. has tenaciously done research on how T lymphocytes cells spring into action when they encounter an infected cell. This has turned up several important findings, most notably the discovery of an enzyme – protein kinase C theta, which may hold the key to controlling immune response. "If we understand the process of T cell activation, it will allow us to rationally design treatments aimed at either boosting an immune response, such as to fight cancer, or to suppress an unwanted immune attack on normal cells, which occurs in autoimmune disease."