Projects
The Becker Lab was recently established in October 2025!
We study CD4+ T cells and the innate immune or non-immune cells they interact with. Our focus is on immunity to human pathogens including Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and tick-transmitted human diseases including spotted fever group Rickettsiae and Alpha-gal syndrome (red meat allergy). Our lab merges expertise in cellular immunology and advanced microbial genetics, and we collaborate with clinical-translational researchers. We are pursuing the following research projects:
Cognate CD4+ T cell help to macrophages. CD4+ T cells are well known to provide cognate help to B cells and dendritic cells in the form of interactions between the T cell receptor and peptide:major histocompatibility complex II (MHCII) complexes. This and subsequent interactions induce phenotypic changes in the antigen-presenting cell that elicit robust antibody-mediated immunity or dendritic cell activation. We recently showed that macrophages appear to undergo cognate CD4+ T cell help as well. This activity is critical for the ability of CD4+ T cells to protect mice from tuberculosis (Becker et al 2025) and may also be a mechanism of anti-tumor immunity (Patterson et al 2023) or other responses in which macrophages play a key role. We are defining the molecular signals in T cells and macrophages that underlie this important interaction.
M. tuberculosis susceptibility and resistance to T cell-mediated immunity. The molecular basis for CD4+ T cell-mediated immunity to tuberculosis remains poorly understood. Our lab is using microbial genetics as a tool to close this knowledge gap. We are defining the M. tuberculosis genes that make the bacteria vulnerable to CD4+ T cell activities, or that allow the bacteria to survive in the face of this immune pressure. Beyond revealing novel immune mechanisms, these studies should point to new therapeutic targets for human tuberculosis.
CD4+ T cell responses in tick-borne diseases. Although the prevalence of tick-transmitted diseases is rising at an alarming rate, their immunological features are poorly understood. We are investigating Rickettsial pathogens and Alpha-gal meat allergy to understand how this unique mode of transmission shapes adaptive immunity. This is achieved through a combination of advanced mouse models and analysis of human specimens collected from our clinic on Long Island.