Our research focuses on the characterization of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the induction of T cell mediated immunity against liver stages of malaria. We generated transgenic mice expressing T cell receptors specific for malaria antigens recognized by CD8+ T cells. Using these mice, we are currently conducting studies to characterize the molecular and genetic events involved in the induction of effector CD8+ T cells and the elucidation of the regulatory pathways involved in the development of memory cell subsets. Special emphasis is given to the characterization of the mechanism by which CD4+ and CD8+ T cell cross-talk during the development of immunity against infectious pathogens. The use of microbial systems is essential to gain new insights on the mechanisms underlying the development of immune responses, as they occur in vivo. These studies enhance our understanding of the immune system at the most fundamental level.

Hafalla JC, Cockburn IA, Zavala F. (2006) Protective and pathogenic roles of CD8+ T cells during malaria infection. Parasite Immunol Epub [PubMed]

Hafalla JC, Rai U, Morrot A, Bernal-Rubio D, Zavala F, Rodriguez A. (2006) Priming of CD8+ T cell responses following immunization with heat-killed Plasmodium sporozoites. Eur. J. Immunol. 23(6):561-74 [PubMed]

Morrot A, Cockburn IA, Overstreet M, Rodriguez D, Zavala F. (2006) Protective CD8+ T cells induced by malaria sporozoites do not undergo modulation of interleukin-7 receptor expression. Infect. Immun. 176(11):6411-5 [PubMed]

Boscardin SB, Hafalla JC, Masilamani RF, Kamphorst AO, Zebroski HA, Rai U, Morrot A, Zavala F, Steinman RM, Nussenzweig RS, Nussenzweig MC. (2006) Antigen targeting to dendritic cells elicits long-lived T cell help for antibody responses. J. Exp. Med. 176(6):3516-24 [PubMed]

Morrot, A., Hafalla J.C., Cockburn I.A., Carvalho L.H., and Zavala F. (2005) IL-4 R expression is required for the development of protective memory responses against liver stages of malaria parasites. J. Exp. Med. 7:37 [PubMed]

Morrot, A. and Zavala, F. (2004) Effector and memory CD8+ T cell as seen in immunity to malaria. Immunol. Revs. 103(9):3363-8 [PubMed]

Hafalla, JC., Morrot A, Sano G, Milon G, Lafaille J and Zavala F. (2003) Early self-regulatory mechanisms control the magnitude of CD8+ T cell responses against liver stages of murine malaria. J. Immunol. 18(3):243-8 [PubMed]

Carvalho, L.H., Sano,G.,Hafalla J.C, Morrot A., Curotto M. and Zavala F. (2002) IL-4 secreting CD4+ T cells are crucial to the development ofCD8+ T cell responses against malaria liver stages. Nature Medicine 176(11):6673-80 [PubMed]

Jung, S. , Unutmaz D., Wong D. .P, Sano G. I., De los Santos K., Sparwasser T., Wu S., Zavala, F., Pamer E.G., Littman D.R. and Lang R. (2002) In vivo depletion of CD11c(+) dendritic cells abrogates priming of CD8(+) T cells by exogenous cell-associated antigens. Immunity 6(12):1143-8 [PubMed]

Hafalla, JC., Sano. G, Carvalho L., Morrrot A., and Zavala F. (2002) Short-term antigen presentation and single clonal burst limit the magnitude of the CD8+ T cell responses against malaria liver stages. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 5(3):392-8 [PubMed]

Zavala F., Rodrigues M., Rodriguez D. Rodriguez J.R., Nussenzweig R.S., and Esteban M. (2001) A striking property of recombinant poxviruses: efficient inducers of in vivo expansion of primed CD8+ T cells. Virology 20(3):337-47 [PubMed]

Sano G., Hafalla J.C., Abe R., Lafaille J., and Zavala F. (2001) Swift development of protective effector functions in naïve CD8+ T cells against malaria liver stages. J. Exp. Med. 102(43):15569-74 [PubMed]