The study of recycling endosomes in innate immune cells

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My research program is focused on the mechanisms of cytokine trafficking in innate immune cells. Trafficking of cytokines to the cell surface involves recycling endosomes (REs), an essential compartment for sorting and transportation of protein cargo to and from the plasma membrane. Recently, REs have been discovered to constitutively traffic the cytokine, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), from the Golgi to the cell membrane in macrophages. However, the presence and function of REs in trafficking and release of cytokines in granulocytes is poorly understood. Granulocytes are the most abundant circulating innate immune cells in the body, and have the ability to transmigrate into tissues from the blood. Upon tissue infiltration, granulocytes release copious quantities of cytokines, which have potent proinflammatory effects. Thus, granulocytes are powerful secretory cells that function as a double-edged sword in immunity. In addition, granulocytes have robust protein trafficking systems that serve as perfect models for studying the secretion of cytokines.