Interrogating the Interplay of Iron Metabolism and Mitochondrial Function in Human CD8 T cells

The generation of a T-cell immune response is tightly linked to mitochondrial function
supporting increased cellular energy and specialised molecule production. Iron is a key
component of catalytic molecules produced and utilised within the mitochondria. Iron
deficiency leads to an impaired T-cell response, while an overload can lead to cell
death. So far, very little is known about the interplay of iron metabolism and
mitochondrial function in T-cells. The aim of this project is to define the role of iron
uptake, intracellular storage and release in maintaining mitochondrial health to
support T-cell function and differentiation.