Tomasz Ahrends Group

Biography

He studied biotechnology at the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of GdaÅ„sk, Poland. Following an internship at UCSF  he started working on his PhD project at the NKI. In their lab they are studying the key molecular mechanisms that optimize cytotoxic CD8 T cell responses as a result of CD4 T cell help. They make use of an experimental model in which we administer DNA vaccines to mice and engage CD4 T-cell help or not. In this way, we can identify the contribution of CD4 T cell help, at which stage it needs to be delivered and what is the molecular mechanism underlying this help. Their findings are important for vaccination strategies against cancer and infectious disease.

Research Interest

Biotechnology