Summary
Natural Killer (NK) cells are innate immune cells that can secrete inflammatory cytokines and kill infected or cancerous cells. NK cells are vital for optimal immunosurveillance of cancer cells, and initial results from NK cell-based therapeutic trials against leukaemia are promising. However, solid tumours are proving harder to target with NK cell-based therapies. Solid tumours are thought to create nutrient-limited environments that alter immune cell functionality. Using super-resolution microscopy and metabolomics, I study novel mechanisms by which NK cell functionality is influenced by their environment. This work aims to discover ways that NK cell function may be enhanced therapeutically against cancer and other NK cell-sensitive diseases.
Publications
Journals
Sheppard S, Santosa EK, Lau CM, et al., 2021, Lactate dehydrogenase A-dependent aerobic glycolysis promotes natural killer cell anti-viral and anti-tumor function, Cell Reports, Vol:35, ISSN:2211-1247, Pages:109210-109210
Wiedemann GM, Santosa EK, Grassmann S, et al., 2021, Deconvoluting global cytokine signaling networks in natural killer cells, Nature Immunology, Vol:22, ISSN:1529-2908, Pages:627-638
Sheppard S, Sun JC, 2021, Virus-specific NK cell memory, Journal of Experimental Medicine, Vol:218, ISSN:0022-1007
Sheppard S, Ferry A, Guedes J, et al., 2018, The paradoxical role of NKG2D in cancer immunity, Frontiers in Immunology, Vol:9, ISSN:1664-3224, Pages:1-19
Sheppard S, Schuster IS, Andoniou CE, et al., 2018, The murine natural cytotoxic receptor NKp46/NCR1 controls TRAIL protein expression in NK cells and ILC1, Cell Reports, Vol:22, ISSN:2211-1247, Pages:3385-3392