Ashouri Lab

Research focus

NIH R01 · 2025

Endogenous retroviruses in autoimmunity: T cell repertoire, tolerance, and disease

PROJECT SUMMARY Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic, destructive autoimmune disease that primarily targets joints. It affects millions globally and is associated with both disability and reduced lifespan. Antigen-dependent activation of CD4 T cells contributes to disease onset. However, the specific antigens that activate CD4 T cells and the mechanisms by which they evade tolerance remain undefined. Therefore, our long-term goal is to identify the earliest events that activate self-reactive T cells and define the mechanisms they employ to subvert tolerance. This knowledge may reveal vulnerabilities in disease-causing T cells that could lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic…

From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.