“The whole appeal of this Institute is that it’s small, very focused, and you have the potential for really good interactions with experts in related but diverse fields of immunology.  That’s why it does well and functions well.”  - Mick Croft, Ph.D.

Dr. Croft is a full Member in the Molecular Immunology Division of LIAI. Dr. Croft's research focus is on the cellular regulation of T cell immunity and tolerance, and how membrane bound costimulatory molecules control T cell function.

Dr. Croft received his BSc in Biology from Brunel University in London, U.K, and a Ph.D. in Immunology from Sussex University in the U.K. In 1989 he moved to the Biology Department of the University of California, San Diego as a postdoctoral fellow. In 1996, Dr. Croft joined the Immunochemistry Division of LIAI as Assistant Member, and was appointed as an Associate Member in 2001. Dr. Croft was tenured in 2003.

Dr. Croft is currently an acknowledged leader in the field of T cell costimulation and regulation of T cell immunity. He is a permanent member of one of the National Institutes of Health grant review study sections, and has served on many special emphasis panels for the NIH and for several foreign Immunology organizations. He is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Immunology.

Michael Croft, Ph.D., and his team focus on a number of protein molecules that are members of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family, a group of proteins believed to play important roles in the ability of the immune system to guard the body against harmful microorganisms. The TNFR molecules studied by Dr. Croft and his laboratory are expressed on T lymphocytes and may be crucial for the effective development and function of these cells.

The two molecules that are being studied most extensively are named OX40 and 4-1BB. Data from the laboratory shows that signals from both molecules control the activities and long-term survival of T cells. Specifically, both molecules may be essential for inducing immunity.

The laboratory is investigating the roles of these molecules in several diseases, including asthma, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and cancer to determine if they could be potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Research is under way to determine whether inhibiting the activities of OX40 and 4-1BB can reduce the response of T lymphocytes.

Another line of research is investigating whether substances that can signal T cells through OX40 and 4-1BB can be used to increase natural immune responses. This is particularly important for diseases such as cancer, in which T cells do not function strongly against the growing tumor.

Signaling through OX40 (CD134) breaks peripheral T-cell tolerance. Nature Medicine, 2001

OX40 promotes Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 expression and is essential for long-term survival of CD4 T cells. Immunity, 2001

The costimulation-regulated duration of PKB activation controls T cell longevity. Nat Immunol., 2004

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