Skip to main content

Dan Littman is interested in the molecular mechanisms that specify T lymphocyte lineages and their differentiation in response to commensal microbes. Elucidating these mechanisms will advance our understanding of how normal protective immune responses differ from pathogenic responses that result in inflammation and autoimmune disease. Littman and his team focus on how intestinal immune system cells respond to microbial and metabolic cues and how they interact with diverse cell types to convey physiological signals. Of particular interest to the team are interactions with cells within tumor microenvironments and cells of the peripheral nervous system that contribute to tissue homeostasis.