Vladimir Badovinac Laboratory—Department of Pathology

  • Matthew Martin, MSc

    Matthew Martin, Graduate Student

    Graduate Student
     matthew-d-martin@uiowa.edu

    Department of Pathology
    1160 Medical Laboratories
    500 Newton Road
    University of Iowa
    Iowa City, IA 52242-1109

    Lab: 319-384-2929

    Training

    BSc, Creighton University, Omaha, 2000
    MSc, University of Iowa, 2011

    Research

    CD8 T cells are specialized cells of the immune system that play an essential role in the control of infection and in tumor immuno-surveillance. A unique characteristic of CD8 T cell responses is that they are able to provide enhanced protection when encountering a pathogen for a second time, a phenomenon called immunological memory. It has been shown that memory CD8 T cells are maintained for the life of the laboratory mouse and for great lengths of time (up to 75 years) in human individuals. However, changes that occur within the memory population over time have been incompletely characterized. My work in the Badovinac laboratory is aimed at characterizing the changes that occur in the memory population over time after infection or vaccination. I am currently employing a number of techniques to explore this question including analysis of transcriptional and functional changes; including changes in phenotype that occur in memory populations over time. These studies have important implications in human health and immune system function, as it is possible that CD8 T cells may not re-encounter their cognate antigen for many years after vaccination or initial infection. Additionally, this work will provide knowledge of the differentiation process that occurs in memory CD8 T cells after infection or vaccination. When I’m not in the lab, you might find me travelling or keeping up with the Boston Red Sox.

    Awards

    University of Iowa L.B. Sims Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award, 2011

    Selected Publications

    1. Martin MD, Condotta SA, Harty JT, Badovinac VP. Population dynamics of naïve and memory CD8 T cell responses after antigen stimulations in vivo. J Immunol. 2012 Feb1;188(3):1255-65.
    2. Martin MD, Wirth TC, Harty JT, Badovinac VP. The impact of pre-existing memory on differentiation of newly recruited naïve CD8 T cells. J Immunol. 2011 Sept 15;187(6):2923-31.
    3. Wirth TC, Martin MD, Starbeck-Miller G, Harty JT, Badovinac VP. Secondary CD8+ T cell responses are controlled by systemic inflammation. Eur J Immunol. 2011 May;41(5):1321-33.