Laurent Malherbe, Ph.D.

Associate Investigator
Blood Research Institute
BloodCenter of Wisconsin

Postdoctoral Training
The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA

Doctoral Training
Ph.D., University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France, 2001

Selected Publications
Laboratory Staff
Contact Information

 
Research Interest

T-Cell receptor interaction with foreign peptide-MHC ClassII complex regulates adaptive immune responses. Initiation of immune responses relies on T helper (Th) cell activation by antigen-experienced dendritic cells. Antigen-specific Th cells then expand to become the cognate regulators of effector B cell responses and initiators of the germinal center reaction and memory B cell development.

The overall goal of the Malherbe lab is to understand the molecular mechanisms regulating antigen-specific T helper cell fate in vivo. Our current research interest aims to elucidate how vaccine adjuvants shape T helper cell response. Adjuvants are compounds used to improve the immunogenicity of vaccine subunits. Antibody titer in serum is often used to measure adjuvant efficacy. In comparison, very little is known about the impact of adjuvant on Th cell response at the cellular level. In our studies, we will use peptide-MHC ClassII tetramers and mulitparameter flow cytometry to directly track antigen-specific Th cells in non-transgenic immunized animals. Our studies have immdiate relevance to the design of vaccines or immunotherapy aimed at improving helper T cell responses.

Selected Publications 

• Baumgartner CK, Malherbe LP. (2011) Antigen-driven T-cell repertoire selection during adaptive immune responses. Immunol Cell Biol 89(1):54-9.
• Baumgartner CK, Malherbe LP. (2010). Regulation of CD4 T cell receptor diversity by vaccine adjuvants. Immunology 130: 16-22.
• Baumgartner CK, Ferrante A, Nagaoka M, Gorski J, Malherbe LP. (2010). Peptide-MHC class II complex stability governs CD4 T cell clonal selection. J Immunol 184: 573-81.
• Malherbe L, Mark L, Fazilleau N, McHeyzer-Williams LJ, and McHeyzer-Williams MG. (2008). Vaccine adjuvants alter TCR-based selection thresholds. Immunity 28: 698-709.
• Malherbe, L., Hausl, C., Teyton, L., McHeyzer-Williams, M.G. (2004) Clonal selection of helper T cells is determined by an affinity threshold with no further skewing of TCR binding properties. Immunity 21: 669-679.
• Malherbe, L., Filippi, C., Julia, V., Foucras, G., Appel, H., Wucherpfennig, K., Guéry, J.C., and Glaichenhaus, N. (2000) Visualization of parasite-specific CD4+ T cells in resistant and susceptible mice infected with Leishmania major. Immunity 13: 1-20.

 Laboratory Staff

Employment Opportunities
If opportunities are available, they will be listed on the Employment page.

Contact Information
Phone: (414) 937-6829
Fax: (414) 937-6284
E-mail: laurent.malherbe@bcw.edu