Harvard University · Microbiology & ImmunologyGut Immunology Laboratory
Christophe O. Benoist · Cambridge, Massachusetts
Research Focus
Dr. Christophe O. Benoist's lab focuses on understanding how T regulatory cells (Tregs) in the gut are maintained and shaped by the microbiome and food antigens. The lab investigates the role of Tregs in preventing inflammation and autoimmunity, particularly in the context of the IPEX syndrome, a condition related to faulty Treg function. Through a combination of advanced genetic techniques and single-cell analysis, the lab seeks to map the pathways that define Treg behavior and how they interact with their environment.
gut microbiomeT regulatory cellsFoxP3autoimmunitysingle-cell transcriptomicsT cell receptorCRISPRmicrobial interactions
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate the development of intestinal Treg cells during early life stages.
AIM 02Analyze how TCR specificity influences the differentiation of Tregs in response to antigens.
AIM 03Examine the reciprocal effects of microbe-specific Tregs on the gut microbiota.
Skills the Lab Values
PCRsingle-cell RNA sequencingCRISPR gene editingcell cultureT cell differentiation assaysflow cytometrymicroscopytranscriptional profilingRNA sequencing