Laura Ciacchi

I completed my PhD in conventional T cell structural biology at Monash University in Australia under the supervision of Professor Jamie Rossjohn. This work focussed on understanding the molecular mechanism driving specificity and cross-reactive T cell responses in coeliac patients. This revealed the structural basis for cross-reactivity and provided the first evidence to support the concept of molecular mimicry in coeliac disease, establishing a link between bacterial exposure and pathology. My first postdoctoral role in the Rossjohn laboratory, diverged from my PhD and focussed on understanding unconventional T cells that recognise lipid antigens in the skin. I am interested in uncovering the fundamental mechanisms involved in the break in self-tolerance and aberrant T cell reactivity that underlies autoimmunity. 

I joined the Ogg laboratory at the University of Oxford studying skin T cell functional immunology. My work is largely based on uncovering the mechanisms that drive CD1a-mediated T cell immunity in health and disease using high-throughput analyses. The ultimate goal is to inform fundamental T cell biology, discover lipid antigens and understand mechanism behind inflammation to develop new therapeutic approaches for skin and systemic disease patients.