Prudence Lui
Academic and Work Experience Prior to Sept 2018 Programme Start
I completed a MSci in Genetics at University College London. I then spent two and a half years working as a research technician in Dr Filipe Cabreiro’s microbiology-metabolism lab, exploring the three-way host-microbiome-environment relationship, using a C. elegans model.
PhD Programme – Year 1 – MRes and Project Rotations
In my first year, I completed three rotations exploring different scientific fields:
the optimization of TAZ overexpression in pituitary primary cell model, by developing a lentivirus, with Dr Cynthia Andoniadou,
the characterisation of tissue-resident immune cell subsets in three cutaneous models of acute inflammation, using flow cytometry, with Dr Niwa Ali, and
modelling conventional dendritic cells differentiation from human induced pluripotent stem cells with Dr Pierre Guermonprez. Collectively, these three rotations equipped me with a number of research techniques, such as mouse genetics, flow cytometry, functional assays, and imaging, but importantly, they confirmed my growing interest in immunology.
PhD Programme – Years 2 to 4 – Doctoral Studies
For my PhD project, I have joined Dr Niwa Ali’s Lab, in functionally characterizing Jagged1 expressing skin-resident regulatory T cells (Jag1+ Tregs) in epithelial stem cell homeostasis. Regulatory T-cells (Tregs), are one of the central immune players in maintaining immune homeostasis. While Tregs are famous for their immunosuppressive functions, we only begin to explore their non-immune, tissue-specific role as regulators of stem cell activity and tissue metabolism.
Recently, our lab has shown that skin resident Tregs are indispensable in facilitating adult hair regeneration, via promoting epithelial stem cell activity. We found Notch ligand, Jagged1 (Jag1), is a critical component in mediating the crosstalk between Tregs and hair follicle stem cells. Yet, the induction of Jag1 in skin Tregs, the phenotype of this subset (Jag1+Tregs), and the functional mechanism(s) directly or indirectly influencing HFSCs remain mostly unknown.
My project will focus on two major aims. First, I will attempt to understand the role of Jag1 in regulating the phenotype and function of skin Tregs. Using mouse genetics, I aim to identify the temporal window of which Jag1 is required during adult hair follicle cycle. Through genome-wide transcriptome profiling, complemented with functional knockout models, I will define how Jag1 influence HFSCs and Tregs functions. Second, I seek to elucidate how Jag1 expression is induced and maintained on skin Tregs, using different well-established knockout models.
This project will lay the foundation for our understanding of how Jag1 facilitates immune-stem cells crosstalk, and subsequently regulates murine hair regeneration. More importantly, it may reveal if skin-resident Tregs can be used as therapeutic targets for tissue-regenerative disorders, such as hair loss.
