The development and function of self-specific CD8+ CD44high T cells

About 38 percent of women and 41 percent of men will develop cancer during their lives. These staggering numbers highlight the need for new preventive measures and treatments for cancer. The human immune system is capable of eliminating pre-cancerous cells before they get a chance to grow. Salim Dhanji is researching how this process occurs. He is focusing on the development and function of a subset of T cells that control the immune system and fight infection. Salim aims to determine the conditions that maximize the ability of these cells to kill cancer cells. He ultimately wants to develop a strategy for using the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.