Genome elements and gene expression control:

Transposable elements genome-wide distribution in mammal and possible roles in the gene expression regulation (shens)

1. Early host response to influenza A virus infection(Langlois): This research leading by Langlois is to identify responses that inhibit influenza virus replication and to determine how virus tropism is altered by innate immune responses in vivo
2. Immune response to vaccination in lab and wild mouse (Mount Sinai-Emory-UMN/Masopust): This subcontract study, under the contract of ‘Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovative Center’, leading by Masopust/Langlois will test the hypothesis that SPF mouse husbandry underlies many mouse-human differences in response to adjuvanted vaccination, and that co-housed (CoH) mice will demonstrate more predictive translational value in the context of influenza virus infection and vaccination.

3. Single cell resolution of SARS-CoV-2 infection in human long cells (Bold)

1. Tumor immunotherapy:
   • Engineered T cell therapeutic efficacy for pancreatic cancer (Stromnes): This project leading by Stromnes will utilize our novel mesothelin TCR ‘knockin’ mice in which we have introduced a high or low affinity mesothelin-specific TCR into the endogenous TCR alpha constant region to identify T cell intrinsic and extrinsic factors that govern T cell differentiation and functionality in PDA. Parallel studies will be performed in human T cells with the goal to create a safe and promising cell therapy for pancreas.
   • Phase II clinical trial of the IDO pathway for advanced melanoma (Munn/Augusta univ.)
2. Residential T cells development (Vezys): Mechanisms of reduced T cell autoimmunity with immune experience.
3. Genomics data, computation, and biomedical interpretation (Shen)
4. Microbiota imbalance, Lcn2 signal and diabetes (Chen): Identification of gut microbiota and microbial metabolites regulated by an antimicrobial peptide lipocalin 2 in high fat diet-induced obesity.

1. Brown adipose tissue involution (Ruan)
2. Fate of residential T memory cells (Vezys)

Epigenetic mechanisms and longevity (Kraus/Duke univ.): This project leading by Kraus/Aliferis is aiming to identify sRNAs associated with longevity in humans and explore their functional impact on muscle in a three-dimensional organ culture system and determine if sRNAs associated with longevity are favorably modulated in humans by exercise and/or caloric restriction.

Arsenic contaminated drinking water (Costa/NYU): PBMC Gene expression profiles of female Bangladeshi adults chronically exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water.