The Cain Lab, from left to right: Letealia Oliver, Derek Cain, Aria Arus-Altuz, Steve Slater, Patti McDermott, Evan Trudeau

In his research efforts, Dr. Cain is interested in the physiologic pathways evoked by vaccination that promote long-term humoral immunity. An important component of a successful immune response to vaccination is the induction of the germinal center reaction. Germinal centers are the anatomical sites where B cells undergo affinity maturation, a process that results in the production of high quality, long-lived antibody-secreting plasma cells and memory B cells. A subset of CD4 T cells, called Follicular Helper T cells, plays a key role in selecting for the survival and maturation of pathogen-specific germinal center B cells. The Cain lab focuses on cellular and molecular pathways and interactions that regulate the initiation and duration of vaccine-induced germinal centers. Current projects include:

1. Evaluation of candidate HIV-1 envelope proteins as vaccine immunogens using mice bearing B cell precursors for broadly neutralizing antibodies.

2. Characterization of novel adjuvants for HIV-1 vaccination.

3. Determining the role of NK cells in modulating vaccine-induced germinal center responses.

4. Analysis of T follicular helper cell responses to influenza vaccination.

DHVI Research Flow Cytometry Facility

Dr. Cain serves as the director of the DHVI Research Flow Cytometry Facility. This shared resource laboratory serves the analytical and cell sorting needs of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute and researchers throughout the Duke Community. DHVI Flow offers state-of-the-art cytometric support to investigators in basic, developmental, and clinical research. The Flow Cytometry Facility instruments are capable of performing BSL-1 through BSL-3 live cell sorting, phenotypic acquisition, DNA cell cycle analysis, and intracellular marker analysis. Analytical and sorting capabilities up to 18 simultaneous parameters enable researchers to define subpopulations based on cell surface morphology as well as size and complexity. We have three cell sorters (2 BD FACS Arias and 1 BD Influx) that are operated by facility staff. We have four cell analyzers (2 BD LSRII, 1 BD Fortessa and 1 Luminex Muse) available 24/7 for trained users. Please visit the website for more information.