Members of the Paust laboratory are interested in the development and testing of novel immunotherapies that elicit clinically relevant Natural Killer cell-mediated anti-pathogen or anti-tumor immunity.
Members of the Paust laboratory are interested in the development and testing of novel immunotherapies that elicit clinically relevant Natural Killer cell-mediated anti-pathogen or anti-tumor immunity.
The Paust Lab studies innate immunity, with an emphasis on Natural Killer (NK) cell biology, innate immune memory, and Fc-mediated immune effector mechanisms. Using mouse and humanized mouse models, as well as human specimens, we investigate NK cell and antibody-driven immune responses in acute and chronic viral infections, solid tumors, and aging, where shared immunomodulatory pathways shape the immune response. We then apply these insights to develop innate immune-based therapeutic strategies, including NK cell-based immunotherapies and off-the-shelf antibody-based approaches with broad therapeutic potential.
A second therapeutic focus of the lab is the development of broadly effective antibody-based therapies for influenza A virus. In a recent study, the lab engineered a low-dose cocktail of three non-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies targeting the conserved M2 ectodomain of influenza A virus. Unlike traditional neutralizing antibodies, this approach relies on Fc-mediated effector activity and showed broad prophylactic and therapeutic protection in mice against diverse influenza A strains, with resistance to viral escape mutations. This work supports Fc-optimized, non-neutralizing antibody therapeutics as an off-the-shelf strategy for influenza treatment and pandemic preparedness.
